Mahou Sensei Kain! Act 6!
by Chris-Sasami-Bunny
Summary: And the misadventures continue. Sakura has decided to reveal magic to the world, but why? What could be her motives, and can Kain stop her before it happens?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Prologue

"That boy, Grandfather…is that…?"

Tear Grants stood on the upper balcony, looking over the courtyard below. She was a little bit younger than we are used to seeing her, perhaps fourteen years old—and dressed in the familiar red jacket and white skirt of Mahora Academy's Girls' Middle School. Next to her was Konosuke Hammond, headmaster of Caelar University, and the subject of her inquiry was a red-haired boy, sitting next to a red-headed girl, studying books on the field below and arguing. The boy was dressed in rather simple fair, save for the large white cloak he wore about his shoulders—a white cloak that seemed a little too large for him, but that he wouldn't be parted with.

"Yes, that's right…Kain Lockeheart, the son of Kalan Lockeheart. He and his young friend Lina Inverse there are in their third year at the university. They are, if you are wondering, twelve years old…."

"Yes…of course, Kalan Lockeheart graduated at the age of ten, so it's not surprising for his son…but, if he's the son of Kalan Lockeheart, then he's also…."

The headmaster chuckled. "Yes, your brother told you many stories about it, didn't he? If it still existed, he would be heir to the kingdom of Kanev, which was the last remnant of the great Takiva Empire that ruled Arcanus Myrror five hundred years ago. Your aunt Mira raised him until the…tragedy that struck his village. She, too, retained her duty to the royal family. In the end, she would never be parted from her Majesty, no matter what befell her."

He glanced down at Tear's serious expression. "So, Tear…are you planning on continuing your family's duty, even if it means nothing to either world? Considering leaving Mahora Academy and your dear master and coming over here? You would have to take a series of difficult tests, but I believe that with my recommendation and assistance you could pass…."

"No." Tear shook her head. "There's no need for anything like that. I'll continue to train under Legretta and finish school there. My brother wanted me to complete my education properly…and both of our families are all but dead now. He…doesn't know anything about that anyway, does he?"

"Yes," Konosuke agreed reluctantly. "There's still too much trouble that would arise from that knowledge becoming public. Besides, he has enough of a complex just being the son of the Grand Archmage. To also be heir of the Queen of Kanev—and, worse, the 'Queen of Calamity'—would overburden him far too much."

Tear nodded and stared down at the field below. A bell sounded, and the two squabbling children started, gathered up their materials, and hurried away.

Without further comment, Tear headed for the stairs and walked down onto the field. She walked over to the tree that had served as a canopy for the two children, and picked up the book that they had left lying around. It was a treatise on the realm and orders of the Infernals, of what the Japanese would call ' _mazoku_ '. As she stared at it, those two children burst back onto the scene and hurried over…and were brought up short by the scene of the older girl there, holding their lost item.

Tear handed it over. "Is this yours?"

The boy took it gratefully, thanked her, and then took off again. The girl, however, stayed behind and eyed Tear critically. "You don't look like a student from around here," she said. "Who are you?"

"Tear Grants, 3rd year, Mahora Middle School. I'm here visiting my grandfather…."

"Oh, right—the headmaster's granddaughter." The flame-haired little girl nodded thoughtfully, then put a hand to her chest. "Well, I'm Lina Inverse—beautiful and talented sorceress. I'm going to be famous one day, so you better remember that name. Then one day, you can tell how you gave a little help to the friend of the great sorceress!" And with that Lina turned and headed back after Kain.

Tear stared after her, then smiled slightly. "I'll remember that…."

8-8-8

"Why Tokyo?" the girl complained. "Why do we have to go to school away from Yokohama? We won't be able to train with our masters regularly there…."

"Perhaps that is part of the test," the other girl replied. "We'll have to rely on our own training to better ourselves. If our masters find that we've been slacking…."

The first girl sighed. "I don't even want to think about it!"

The name of the first speaker was Akari Heiro, and the girl next to her was Kiami Tsukimori. They were seated along with a boy, Hikaru Tsukino, underneath a tree at a local park not far from three (in)famous dojôs. As disciples of rival schools, they were not supposed to fraternize with each other, and so the various masters pretended not to know that their respective students were seeing any other students.

Hikaru sipped his tea. "Well, they have a lot of interest in this school in Tokyo. They are all familiar with it. They fought some incredible tournaments there in the past…some of them even attended it. Among other things, they have a club there that was made especially by them for the advanced martial artists and anyone that wants to see our higher level of skills…."

"Yes…but…." Akari fidgeted. "I'm just not comfortable…leaving Yokohama and everything I'm used to…what will things be like in Tokyo?"

"Boring in some ways," Hikaru continued. "We're going to be in all-girls and all-boys schools. That seems rather unfair, especially for me."

"Yes," Kiami agreed. "Poor Hikaru- _kun_ won't get to ogle girls all day like he's used to…."

"Now, you know that isn't what I meant, Kiami- _chan_ …."

8-8-8

The door was already open, but a hand reached over and wrapped it lightly with the back of the hand anyway. The girl inside the room looked up in surprise. Short orange-red hair and violet eyes looked up to girls with long black hair and brown eyes.

"Er, hello…" began the one whose hair was loose.

"You must be Tokiha Mai," added the other, shorter girl with a smile. "We're your roommates, it seems. I'm Hinamori Momo…."

"And I'm Higurashi Kagome," the other one continued. "We've…just arrived here at Mahora, from Kyoto."

"Kyoto…? But you don't sound like you're from…."

"That's a running joke. Just forget about it."

Momo skipped over. "So, it looks like we'll be together here and in class for a while. Let's get along, okay?"

"S-sure…."

8-8-8

Kajirô wandered aimlessly around the grounds. If only every day could be like this…sunny, pleasantly warm early spring weather, a late start to the day and few expectations…it would only get worse from here. Middle school would certainly be harder than primary school (what the Japanese called elementary) for many reasons….

"Kaji- _kun_ …wait a moment, please…."

Kajirô knew that voice…probably better than any other, and he would always stop for it. He glanced around, however, trying to find its source, before turning his eyes upward.

"Ah," he said. "Good morning, Hinagiku- _san_. Imagine seeing you up there. What is it this time?"

"What do you mean, 'what is it this time'!?" she screeched, red-faced. "Are you implying this happens all the time? Are you saying I'm an idiot or something for being up here?"

"Easy, easy," he murmured, waving his hands in a placating manner. "I can see that cat must be the reason for your adventure. It's just that dutiful Hinagiku- _san_ , who hates heights, would only climb up a tree she cannot then descend only if there was an extremely good reason for it."

"It still sounds like you're making fun of me," she muttered. "Anyway, it's not as if I'm always climbing trees and getting stuck near the top. And now I'd like to get down, so…."

"Just a second," Kajirô said and disappeared behind another large tree. A few seconds later he reappeared with a ladder and set it against the tree.

Hinagiku stared at it. "Where on earth did you get that, Kaji- _kun_?"

He shrugged. "It's useful to have a ladder off-camera sometimes. It's like swords in certain TV shows about immortals…."

"I really don't know what you're talking about, but it _really_ sounds like you're making fun of me now…."

"Not at all, not at all. In any case, you can't climb down from a tree without looking, but a ladder is more reliable, so someone athletic like Hinagiku- _san_ should be able to climb down while just looking up, right? So you can come down freely…."

"Yes…but the ladder isn't entirely stable, either. You'll have to hold it at the bottom until I get closer to the ground."

"Er…but…you're in a skirt…."

"I wear shorts underneath, Kaji- _kun_ ; you know that. So stop thinking dirty thoughts and just hold that ladder."

Kajirô didn't reply, except in his own thoughts, but he held the bottom of the ladder (looking away, simply because it's the principle of the thing) as Hinagiku made her way down. Once she and the cat were safe, he returned the ladder to its invisible (off-camera?) resting place behind the tree. Those who guessed he produced the ladder secretly via magic, ten points.

"You're safe, Shiranui," she told the black cat with the white cross-shaped patch on its forehead as she released it.

 _('Shiranui, for a black cat, just because it has a bit of white. How wonderfully cute, as usual….')_

"It's going to be weird," Kajirô sighed, "going to school now and not seeing you in class. How many years did we sit near each other in primary school?"

"It can't be helped," Hinagiku replied. "Mahora has gender-separated middle- and high-schools. But it's coed in everything else; you could always join the _Kendo_ Club, you know. I wouldn't mind seeing you there."

"Ah, I'm no good with weapons, especially swords," he muttered. "I'm afraid I couldn't…."

"What's this, flirting so early in the morning?"

The duo turned and glared as Miki, Izumi and Riza approached them. Kajirô then turned away and began to stalk off, muttering, "In any case, class is going to start soon, so I better get going. See you around Hinagiku- _san_ ; Miki- _san_ , Izumi- _san_ , Asakaze- _san_ , good to see you."

They watched him go. Riza finally muttered, "Why am I the only one he calls by just my family name?" Then she brightened. "Ah, I see…he must have a secret crush on me, and he's just too shy to admit it…."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Hinagiku said dryly. "In any case, he was right—we should go find our classroom so we'll be on time when it starts…."

"Ah, we could skip instead…."

" _Don't you dare_."

8-8-8

The short girl with the hair of almost equal mass sat at the table behind a stack of books. Besides giving her adequate reading material, it served as a kind of wall between her and the rest of the world…the rest of the world she didn't want to see….

"Um…h-hello…."

Yue Ayase looked up at the girl who had addressed her. Hardly anything of her eyes was visible under the mass of sheepdog hair. She didn't even reply, just stared at the girl.

"U-um…I was wondering…if I could sit next to you…this is…my favorite spot…."

"By all means, don't let me stop you," Yue murmured. "I was leaving anyway." She scooped up her books and walked out.

Nodoka watched her leave with surprise and disappointment. Ami Mizuno came around the corner and stopped, looking around. "Oh?"

"S-she ran away…."

Ami sighed. "Ah, well. We should have plenty of time to get through to her…."

8-8-8

The girl with the long blond hair stood staring at the building, clutching her bag and books nervously. This was it…it was time….

"Are you nervous?"

She whirled around and stared at the smiling girl behind her. Her dark blood-red hair was tied up in a clothed bun and she had eyes of nearly the same blue as Erika's own. "It's your first time doing something like this, isn't it?" she asked pleasantly. "It is for me, too…and to be honest, I'm a little nervous myself. I'm Sanada Sakura. I think we'll be classmates from now on."

"Oh…." Erika took the proffered hand. "Sendô Erika. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "I hope we can be friends. Now, shall we go meet the rest of our class?"

8-8-8

They sat in their chairs in various states of emotion, all twelve years old, at least in appearance….

Caria sat at a desk with tools most twelve-year-old girls couldn't begin to fathom using, constructing what would eventually become part of the machine she would name Miyu Greer.

In her desk at the back, Chisame thought about how glad she was that, at least, she was free from the stupidities of boys their age….

Kazumi, Yukari, and Matake, having just met in their own dorm room, were happily getting to know each other. Despite their different interests, all three, friendly and affable, found a level of camaraderie with the other two.

Nanami, cheerful and upbeat, passed from student to student, trying to get to know them—for her, an exercise in her own plots and schemes, not exactly sinister, but not entirely altruistic or based on friendship.

Yuki and Rei sat in their desks silently. None of the girls knew these two from any previous schooling, and their cold natures left them as little more than silent, enigmatic mysteries….

Alyssa sat sullenly in her own seat. For her, it was her fifth time around through middle school, although no one but the magically connected members of the school had any idea of this. Interestingly, they would find it natural to imagine her at 'around ten years old', even two years later….

Kanade, loud and boisterous, greeted her classmates she had known since primary school and authoritatively introduced herself to the newcomers. Years later, she would never change.

The twins shared one trait: both were outgoing and popular, and did not shrink from meeting and greeting the new class that would accompany them through the next three important years of their lives.

Kaoru, a recent arrival on her Track & Field scholarship, found herself easily accepted into the group of (mostly) wild personalities.

Rakasu had already begun her career as a child music sensation, and the class spent a few moments reveling in the presence of a celebrity in their class…although, this being class 1-A, their attention span never seemed to be great enough to last very long.

All twenty-eight of them sat at attention as their middle school lives started and Takamichi T. Takahata walked into the room and introduced himself as their homeroom teacher.

Many of them were normal. Some of them had secrets in their history or pasts that they were as yet unaware of. A few of them were members of mage families, and upheld the magical secret to some degree. And several of them were not human, attending this class for special reasons indeed….

But imagine one small scene in time, when all of it began….

None of them knowing what it would eventually come to….

8-8-8

Sakura looked through the pictures in her hands, fondly recalling the events of the previous two years. Her two roommates, Akari and Kiami…as she expressed interest in multiple clubs, they encouraged her to follow them to the Martial Arts Mastery Society. Intrigued, she had accepted; she didn't spend as much time there as they would have liked, perhaps, but she had enjoyed some good times with them. She was happy she'd found people to help her practice her _hakuda_ while she was living as an innocent human adolescent. She'd even encouraged Erika to join them there, which she did, at least in limited amounts….

Ah, the Robotics Development Society. A university-level occupation, but Caria had joined it and taken over before she technically would have been called a teen. Sakura had often thought she would have liked to have participated, helped out with the Research & Development Department of the _Gotei_ 13, but she didn't get the chance to before she'd been made a captain. And Yukari- _chan_ had already been its head for some time, but that was neither here nor there….in any case, she decided to help out there with Caria. Most of what Caria was capable of was beyond even her, but with some knowledge of the techniques and sciences available from her time period, and with the aid of her unique powers, she had helped Caria with a few more special projects. Some of Miyu Greer's personality protocols, for example, had been developed using her knowledge of advanced _gikon_ research. Perhaps it was here that she'd enjoyed herself the most….

The Tea Ceremony Club. Despite her reluctance to drink regular teas—a very odd position when she was supposed to be Japanese—they had accepted her gladly. Alyssa, in particular, had been somewhat interested in her from the beginning. Perhaps she sensed, or merely suspected, that she was different from all the others….

Hinagiku and her _Kendo_ Club. She hadn't been able to get involved as much with them, mostly because most of the club was too casual. There were a few dedicated and skilled members, but it was not a very popular club, and most of those who participated were boys (or girls) who simply admired Hinagiku and wished to be near her. Still, she'd enjoyed her time there, too….

The Go Club. It was full of skilled and dedicated _go_ players, many of whom were even better than her father. Alyssa had joined her in the club, merely to play against her…confirming the thought that she had long been interested in her….

The Cuisenaire Research Society. A complicated name for a club that liked to cook and explore the secrets of cooking. Despite her wishes and urgings, she never managed to convince any of the fine chefs of 3-A to join her in that club, not even Mai—she was always too busy with her part-time jobs, and she never even did any cooking for them! For someone who liked it so much and was so good at it, it was such a waste. This lack of enthusiasm from the class cooks is what had prompted her to have them run that diner for her last Festival….

Festivals. Class trips. Here were more pictures with all of her friends. She wondered if it would in any way be possible to take some of these with her. Probably not. That was the problem with dreams, after all…you couldn't hold them in your hand after you woke up….

Ah. And here he was. Kain Lockeheart. Just a short time, not even half a year, but he had already become such an important member of their class, and he only taught them for one class a day. But he had made an indelible impression upon each and every one of them….

All of them had grown on her over the years…classmates, friends, comrades. And with Kain among them, they had almost been like family. But now she was leaving them, and under the most depressing of circumstances, as a villain, as a thief in the night that had stolen their future…particularly those she was closest to.

Perhaps that was for the best, after all…at least they would not miss her as strongly as she would miss them, as much as she would miss this wonderfully idyllic lifestyle….

Well, it didn't matter now. There was no more time. It would have to begin….

She slipped her photo collection back into her robe and rose. There was work today. The only consolation to her soul was that, whether she succeeded or not, in the end it would be a victory for her. She had already ensured that much….

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: The Dreamer of Dreams_

 _The Third Day begins…although, as circumstances will show, not in actuality for a while yet. But the final showdown with Sakura is starting, and all will be revealed._

 _This prologue is already longer than all my others, and I was tempted to go longer…telling more about how these children met and grew up together over their two plus years in Mahora. This is all personal whim and imagination—besides certain flashbacks like that of young Yue and young Nodoka as shown back in Act 5, the original MSN told almost nothing of the early years of these girls. Just thinking about how it grew to be how it was when Kain arrived was an interesting thought…in particular, how Sakura wove her way through their lives._

 _And it was in particular tempting to show how Sakura did this, and it was interesting how everything fell into place again for me. Chao Lingshen, the original time-traveling villainess, was, for some reason, particularly friendly with Ku Fei, the martial artist. As I was constructing the class way back when, I decided rather whimsically that because of this, to fill out the various roommates as I could, I would throw Sakura in with the martial artists Akari and Kiami. And, also whimsically, I added the MAMS to the list of clubs Sakura was a part of, and put Erika in the same club, although she never had any reason for it (especially for Erika, who in Fortune Arterial was never part of any martial arts clubs). I never really had much of a rhyme or reason for it; in Sakura's case, it was probably simply because Ku Fei's Chinese martial arts club was in Chao Lingshen's long list of clubs. For Erika, it was probably simply an excuse to show why she knew a bit of unarmed combat. But it's starting to take shape—as I mentioned in Act 5, Erika (this version) feels a slight jealousy towards and inferiority complex when compared with Hinagiku, and so she joined the MAMS to 'get one up on her'. Since I had Sakura roommates with Akari and Kiami, and she's interested in maintaining a bit of training to keep her skills up, she could let herself be persuaded to follow them to their club, at least occasionally. And as I was thinking about how these girls would arrive at their new middle school lives, I recalled that Erika, according to her past here in this story, entered middle school as someone who'd never attended any kind of public school before—and Sakura, of course, had similarly never attended a school like_ this _(that is, one of normal people) and so she found a connection there. Sakura would, besides her two roommates, have actually found her first friend in Erika as she helped settle her into a life amongst lots of strangers. As Erika began to grow and develop her personality, and started to feel a rivalry towards the remarkable Hinagiku, Sakura would have encouraged her to join the MAMS. This all works out…._

 _Especially since Sakura somehow (we'll see how exactly in the future) convinced Erika to help her with her plot. Eventually Erika didn't need Sakura's helping hand, but they are still classmates and friends, and they care for each other…._

 _In any case, let's get things going. Act 6 is underway._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Chapter One: Dreamer of Dreams, Act One: Dream On

Kain stared after Sakura. His thoughts churned in his head. Curiosity, indignation, regret, worry, fear, and disappointment battled for place within him….

"Kain- _sensei_ …?"

He glanced back behind him. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, Kazumi approached. She had nodded off somewhat early in the night—naturally, she was not one of the hardest partiers—and now had finally awoken.

"Yoshida- _san_ …you're awake. Did you need anything?"

"Sakura- _chan_ …where did she go? How she was dressed tonight…it was like Hinamori- _chan_. What does this mean? What's going on with her?"

Kain considered how to answer. He still felt within himself that he didn't like to include his students in his problems…all the more so when he was battling _other_ of his students, and particularly in a case like this. While Kazumi had learned about the secret of magic and had been invited by Alyssa to some of their training, she had very limited experience with it. Kain would have preferred to keep it that way….

And then Kamo materialized on his shoulder. "I think we better gather everyone up and head to Alyssa's resort, Kiddo. Everyone who's involved in this needs to hear what's going on so that we can decide what to do about this…."

Kain sighed. "You're probably right…in this case, it's even more important to do so…."

8-8-8

The group filed across the bridge. Mai, Momo, Kagome, Yue, Nodoka, Ami, Akari, Kiami, Kazumi, Kenjirô, and even Hinagiku all crossed easily now.

In the rear was Chisame, who was, naturally, panicking at all this. " _What the heck!? It's so hot…and the middle of the day!? And what's with this god-awfully huge pillar we're standing on…and why the heck am I even here!?"_

"D-don't talk about the height," Hinagiku muttered. "Don't talk about it at all…."

"This bridge we're crossing used to be extremely narrow," Kiami explained helpfully. "However, since Hinagiku- _kaichô_ can't stand heights and had a conniption every time we brought her here, Alyssa- _chan_ finally changed it and made it wide enough for her to cross without trouble simply because she was tired of the constant drama."

"In any case, she did ask another good question," Mai muttered. "Why _is_ Hasegawa- _san_ here, Kain- _sensei_?"

"Er…" Kain replied helpfully.

"I insisted, of course," Kamo chuckled. "I heard all about it. You found out about the magic secret today, didn't you, _Ojô-chan_? And even about Kain's time travel device. Welcome to the far side of the world, Chisame- _chan_! The other side of the looking glass!"

Chisame stared at him as he presented himself to her. "A talking rodent," she muttered. "Now, on top of everything else, a talking rodent…why should I have anything to do with this…?" _('I knew it, I shouldn't have come….')_

Finally she turned and started walking away. "Um…Hasegawa- _san_?" Kain asked.

"I'm going home," she muttered. "I still want to lead a normal life, so _this_ view of an abnormal world is a little…."

"But once you come in, you can't leave for twenty-four hours, you know," Kain pointed out.

"W-what!? Then what do we do about the School Festival!?"

"No, even though it's twenty-four hours in here, only an hour passes outside, so it'll still be the middle of the night…."

"Are you freakin' _kiddin_ ' me!?"

Kiami was suddenly at Chisame's elbow. "So, you're stuck here, Chisame- _chan_ , so you might was well enjoy it. Come, get changed into a swimsuit and join us!"

"Wa!? W-wait, you…!"

Kiami and Akari soon had most of the group changed and into the pool. Once they had woken everyone up sufficiently and expended a bit more energy, everyone gathered around the pool to await their teacher's report. "So, what's this about?" Akari asked. "Why the sudden importance of this meeting? And what's up with Erika- _chan_? Where is she?"

Kain finally explained all the recent events to his students, beginning with the encounter with Sakura before the Festival began, when she gave him the Chrono Trigger. He explained her reason for hosting the tournament and the actions she had undertaken that day, and the revelation of the base part of her plan to reveal magic's existence to the entire world. At Kamo's insistence (or with his help), he even mentioned some of his own activities that day, including the contracts he had just made with Yue and Ami.

"Runner-up in a magic-exposing tournament, revealing yourself to another of your students, _and_ forming two contracts?" Mai sighed in disgust. "You've really been busy today, haven't you Kain- _sensei_?"

"A-ah, but…."

"Enough about that," Kenjirô said. "The real question is: how serious is this threat, exactly? Is Sakura- _san_ really capable of doing this—convincing the entire world about magic—and if so, should we even stop her?"

The group turned to look at him. "W-what are you talking about?" Mai demanded. "Of course we have to stop her! Exposing magic to the entire world…it's…."

"That's a very normal-school-girl attitude talking," Kenjirô replied. "Growing up without magic…I suppose I can understand it a little. And maybe it's just because I'm a magical creature myself, but I have difficulty seeing why it's a bad thing, no matter how much the human mages want to keep it a secret. Not that I _want_ to go against them or see it happen myself, but I don't feel a lot of urgency about it. What about her—what reason does she have for wanting to do this?"

"I see," Kiami murmured. "In other words, if it's Sakura- _chan_ , would she really care about this so strongly if she didn't have a good reason? So, if this goal is to alter the future…."

"Is it even possible…to 'alter the future'?" Akari asked. "She says she…came from the future, or something…that sounds a bit far-fetched…."

"It's _all_ far-fetched," Yue noted. "But we know that the time-travel device she made works, right? We've seen it first-hand. Kenjirô- _kun_ , amazingly, is on the right track here. How does the plan of 'revealing magic' equate to 'changing history'? And furthermore, why would Sakura- _san_ , as an alien, time-traveler, _shinigami_ or whatever she is even come here to this place and time in order to do that? She's been a part of our class for over two years…and why is she suddenly just using this plan now?"

"Apparently it has something to do with the World Tree," Ami said. "This year—and, in fact, today—it's supposed to hit the peak of its power…logically, if that's the case, she _needs_ the power of the World Tree to complete her plan…."

"And apparently she's already been using it," Momo put in. "From what she told Takamichi- _kun_ , she's responsible for the tree's accelerated cycle—why it's happening this year instead of next year. Has she been gathering the mana of the tree for these two years, just for this purpose? Or is it something else…?" She shook her head. "We still have too little information to go on…."

"The worst part is that we don't know if she's actually in the wrong or not…" Kain sighed.

"What!?" Mai exclaimed. "Are you kidding me!? After she imprisoned Takahata- _sensei_ and then attacked you like that, you think she isn't in the wrong!? She's obviously not doing the right thing!"

"That could be considered a matter of opinion," Kamo said. "When we invaded the Soul Society, Kalan and the rest of us sure looked like villains…especially after we were forced to kidnap Momo- _chan_. Well, this and that are two different situations, but remember that villains and heroes are often written by history…and writing history is Sakura- _chan_ 's goal…."

"Whatever," Mai huffed. "I'm not going to stand by and let her get away with this! Whatever she's planning, it can't be that good if she's using truly underhanded methods like this! _I_ will stop her!"

Kain nodded. "I agree, of course. I admit I don't really know what ethics may be involved in her decision, but even if she's my student I simply can't trust her judgment over that of Mahora's Magic Council—no, the Council of all of Wizardry—no matter how persuasive the argument. We have to stop her…somehow…."

Kenjirô smirked. "Well, as long as you're determined. Like I said, it really doesn't matter much to me either way. But if you're determined to stop it, I'll certainly help you out. That's all the reason _I_ need."

"Well, consider us committed as well," Kagome chirped. "I really can't do much for fighting, but however hurt you get, I'll be sure to heal you up."

"Mai's already made her case clear, too," Momo said. "I have more than enough reasons to chip in on this."

"Leave it to us as well," Kiami said. "If our roommate is causing these problems, as her friends it's our duty to help out."

"We can count on Hikaru- _kun_ as well," Akari added. "I'd love to have a proper battle for once myself, anyway…."

"Well, I'm certainly not going to be left behind!" Hinagiku declared. "It's my duty to stop her as well, as the Student Council President and as her friend."

Kamo observed them carefully. "Well, we're not looking too badly for our frontline," he noted. "Sakura- _chan_ has a horde of robots, and even Erika- _chan_ and that Miyu 'bot on her side, too, but even so, this is a strong group, any way you look at it….

"What about for the rear guard?" Kamo said, turning to the library trio. "Besides Kagome- _chan_ , we have you three, right? Why don't you two try out your artifacts?"

After sharing a look, both Yue and Ami complied. Yue got a book, a broom, a wand, and a witch's hat and cloak, while Ami got some sort of odd sailor uniform and a book of her own.

"The library trio lives up to its name," Kamo noted. "I see…those two…you should have fun with them, but for now, Yue's especially is not suited for direct combat….

"But we have two here without special abilities who have yet to make contracts," he continued, turning to Kazumi and Chisame. "Why don't you two take the plunge? You could get something useful that could help out…."

"U-um, but…" Kazumi began.

Chisame was far more forceful. "Hell no, _baka_! Don't talk to me, you small animal!"

"Ah, why not, Chisame- _chan_?" Kiami cooed, sidling up close to her. "We could do it together…we're friends, aren't we?"

"Since when did I become your friend!? Stay the hell away from me!"

"What a mismatched party," Alyssa sighed with a bit of mischievous pleasure as she wandered into the scene. "I suppose you're all threatening in some ways. Well, individually, you have some decent fighters. If you can truly be a 'party' that balances out weaknesses and strengths remains to be seen."

She turned to address Kain. "Personally, I have no stake in this. I've lent Miyu to Sakura and Caria in return for favors—primarily for giving me Miyu in the first place—but when it comes to the battle I will neither help nor hinder you. I hope you understand that."

Kain nodded and bowed to her. "I understand. Thank you for everything thus far…."

Alyssa stared at him for a little longer, then nodded and turned away. "I will give one last piece of advice. As you are now, even if you were able to rely on your 'True _Kanka_ ', you don't really stand a chance against that Sakura—not if she was serious. You should use what chance you have to prepare yourself for the battle tomorrow. With the power from the World Tree, I can stretch out your trip this visit to…oh, say six hours for nearly a week's worth of overnight training. It might not make a difference, but it certainly can't hurt you. You partiers came in around four, so that will get you out of here at around ten o'clock…that should be more than enough time before she makes her move, yes?"

"Y-yes…thank you, Alyssa."

She waved her hand negligently. "Don't think too much of it. It would simply be a shame if you were defeated in a swift, pathetic manner, particularly after having beaten me. Do your best, boy…don't shame your father's name, either." And she walked away.

"Okay, we better get to training, then," Kenjirô said. "So, what do we know about her right now?"

In response, Kain turned his gaze on him and two other individuals. "Kenjirô…Hina…Momo…I'll need your help most of all. I'll need some major sword training before this is over…."

8-8-8

Kain awoke in the middle of the night.

As was often the case, his thoughts and worries dominated his mental processes. Being able to think but unable to dam the flowing stream of thoughts is a great and often unappreciated curse to those who suffer from it.

"Awake, boy?"

Kain started as Alyssa addressed him from the shadows. In this realm, and all the more with the tree's culmination of energy returning her power to her temporarily, she had no need of sleep, and only allowed night to fall for the benefit of her guests. What she did during the night, he couldn't even imagine, and was certain he'd probably prefer not to know in any case….

"Worried, are you?" she continued as Kain was slow in responding. "You're still not convinced in your heart that your cause is righteous and Sakura's is evil, are you? You'll never win if you're thinking like that."

Kain bowed his head. "Yes, but…I know that much of Sakura- _san_ has done is suspect. I know it's only natural for people to think they're in the right about things…that's _why_ wars and such break out. But, still…the Sakura- _san_ I saw last night was not intent on…on wickedness. She could have defeated me at any time, eliminated Mai and Momo at any time…she was that much stronger than we are. But she didn't, she used the bare minimum of violence against us, and I don't think it was just because she was playing with us or taunting us. She seriously didn't want to really hurt us. It…takes skill to play with something far beneath you _without_ hurting it…."

Alyssa smiled at him. "Why don't you take a walk out to the pool?" she said. "Maybe you'll find something there."

Kain blinked at her. She wandered away without another word or even a backward glance; shrugging, he turned his face towards the pool and walked over there.

A figure was sitting at the edge of the pool, dangling her feet into it. As he neared, she turned to look at him. "Yoshida- _san_ …so, it's you…."

"K-Kain- _sensei_? What…?"

"No, it's nothing…I just can't sleep either. May I sit here?"

He sat politely nearby, but away from the pool a short ways…close enough to converse, but he apparently did not desire to get his feet wet at this time. "What's on your mind?" he continued.

Kazumi hesitated, and then responded, "What about Kain- _sensei_? Something…must be troubling you…."

Kain sighed. "I suppose so. It's just…this is the third time for me, having to face my students in battle. The first time was against Alyssa and Miyu…."

"Back when you saved me…."

"…Right. That was tough…surprising…but I was able to steel my resolve for it because I knew what they were doing was absolutely wrong. Furthermore, they were after my own life. That can alter your perspective of a battle somewhat. The second time, you were there—when Ayanami- _san_ was helping that baron. Hina was actually the one who fought her, however, and it was all very sudden, so I didn't even have time to think about it much…my attention was on the baron, rather, and by the time it was all over, Ayanami- _san_ had sacrificed herself, put herself in danger, in order to protect Erika- _san_. But now…this time…I really don't know if Sakura- _san_ is in the wrong or not. All the troubles and worries I've had recently…granted, I've still had plenty of them, but I can almost forget about them compared to this puzzle. I can't tell myself with 100% confidence that I'm right and Sakura- _san_ is wrong, and as long as I have that doubt, I'll never be able to beat her. I can try, and I will try, but I know that I won't succeed…."

Kazumi was silent for several moments, then she turned a bright smile on Kain…a smile that was obviously a mask to personal discomfort. "I'm the same way, Kain- _sensei_ …I'm continuing to fight, even though I know it's actually pointless." As he glanced up at her in surprise, she continued, "I…wanted to get close to Kain- _sensei_ , and I was wondering how I could do that…get closer to you, as close as Mai- _san_ and Nodoka- _san_ and the rest seem to be. I felt a gap between us, but I felt that if I could somehow just find out more about you, I could close that gap…and then I finally witnessed, that night, the truth about the different world you live in…the difference I sensed all along. And when that happened, I was happy at first, because I thought that I could reach that point I longed for…get closer to you, reduce the distance between us. I was even…allowed by Alyssa- _chan_ to come here, to join you during these…these training sessions…but the more time I spend here, the more I realize that I don't really belong. I'm not sure I can ever be a part of this world.

"I don't have any real power, any real skills or abilities that can help me…be of use to you. I can't fight or use magic…I'm anemic and clumsy, not suited at all to helping out when it really counts. I…I'm useless…all I can do is bravely smile and watch you go, and pray for you to come back safely…. I'm not even as strong as Yue- _san_ or Ami- _san_. Yue- _san_ has always loved things like this…being able to enter this world, this magical realm, with Nodoka- _san_ , is her dream come true, and Ami- _san_ is enough of their friend that she enjoys going there with them. They have each other to support them as they go, even if they have nothing else. But I…what do I have? My best friends don't really know anything, and…I can't really tell them, either. I'm not…sure if they could make it in this world…any more than I can….

"But I still don't want to give up. Selfishly, I want to try to cling to this world, even if I don't belong, just so I can be close to Kain- _sensei_. I…I don't have any better answer for that…maybe both of us are foolish for trying…."

Kain stared at the girl, considering her words very carefully. There were many obvious admissions and nuances in her confession, but he tried to push all but the most important thoughts aside. "Yes…perhaps we are both fools. Still, you're impressive…I guess it must be hard to come here so often when…you think you don't belong…I can't say anything more about that at the moment. But…would you at least like to…to make a contract, Yoshida- _san_? I…don't like asking, I don't think I even _should_ be asking, but I…have so many already…and it may be wise. We need all the help we can get…perhaps you could get a power that could help us, and…then, at least, you'd have a reason to be here…that no one could refute…."

Kazumi turned to stare this time. She stared so long they both began to become uncomfortable, but, her own thoughts churning as much as her beloved _sensei_ 's, she couldn't answer, she couldn't find a reply. Finally she smiled sadly and shook her head. "…No. I think I would…very much like to make a contract with you…but…not like this…not out of pity, or…just on the chance of making me useful. If I could, I'd like to make it…because it's necessary…I…maybe I'm just being selfish again, but…."

"No." Kain shook his head. "I understand, I think. It's all right. When you're ready…when we're both ready…the time will probably come. There's a reason for everything…." He stopped and narrowed his eyes as he stared at nothing. "Reason," he muttered. "Oh, yes, of course…that could be…."

She blinked at him. "Kain… _sensei_ …?"

"It's nothing. I might have found an answer for myself. Maybe not, but better than what I had. Thank you for helping me think…Kazumi- _san_. I'll be going now." He rose, bowed to her, and departed.

Kazumi watched him, then turned to look at the pool with a hint of pleasure. Well, that hadn't been too bad. She had…all but confessed her feelings to him. He…must have understood, right? But while he didn't respond to her feelings, he didn't reject them…of course, he had a lot on his mind…but most importantly, he had…even called her Kazumi, finally…just like the rest of them….

"Slick, _Ojô-chan_ ," Kamo congratulated her, appearing out of thin air.

She started. "K-Kamo- _kun_!? What are you…?"

"A very nice speech…a very nice confession," he smirked. "Poor boy has enough troubles, but you really let him have it, huh? Who knows what he'll do now?"

"B-but…I was just…."

"No, don't worry about it. Teasing you girls is just a hobby of mine. In all honesty, that was very self-sacrificing and noble of you, refusing a contract when Kain offered it. Very, very noble. I can tell you want that thing so bad, but you're not sure you even deserve it. Well, without it, we can't rely on you in combat, but…."

Kazumi flushed and buried her face in her knees. "I-it's for the best. It's all I can do right now. I'm not any use to Kain- _sensei_ , or any of the others…not right now. Maybe someday, but…for now…."

"That's right, _Ojô-chan_ , don't worry about it for now…there'll be plenty of time in the future, I'm sure…."

8-8-8

The assembled group stood at the platform exit, assembled in a line before Kain. He looked over them all. "Well," he announced quietly, "here we are. Our classmate, Sanada Sakura, has devised a scheme to reveal the existence of magic to the entire world. We've trained for the last six days in order to stop her.

"To be honest, I'm still not sure that what Sakura- _san_ is doing isn't the right thing." As several members of the class began to pipe up at this point, he held up a hand to forestall them. "Please, let me finish. Sakura- _san_ 's plot isn't to unleash a great evil, to threaten any lives, or to destroy this world…except possibly metaphorically. She has gone out of her way to avoid hurting anyone. As long as I don't see her as an enemy, I know that I'll never be able to stop her….

"However, I've been thinking about this for these last six days while we trained. Sakura- _san_ has cared for everyone in our class…she's been one of the most reliable and dependable students I've had. Even now, on the eve of her great plan, she spent a good amount of her time taking care of her clubs and classmates. She is who she always presented herself to be: our friend, and a truly good person. The question that's been nagging me is this: why would Sakura- _san_ go so far for this strange plot? Why does she see a need to 'change history'? The only reason that would make sense was if she was trying to change it to prevent a disaster—think of any great and terrible tragedy that's befallen this world in recent years. If something could be done to prevent it, would you make that choice, even if it meant going against the established order itself? I think…depending on what it is, I would….

"If that's the case, we would owe it to her and to ourselves to aid her, as strange as it may sound. I think that…if the reason were right enough, my father would have done the same. She seems to have given even Erika- _san_ a reason to fight on her side. But….

"The truth is that she has never really given us the chance to join her. She's teased and taunted us with possibilities, but she has made it clear that she's on the opposite side that we are. She's avoided trying to hurt us, but she seems to be intentionally inciting us to fight against her. Perhaps that is also part of her plan….

"I still don't have all the answers. But until I know for certain what the right answer is, I have to oppose her plan. I can only act on what I do know, and what I know is this: revealing magic to the world can only cause disorder and chaos—this kind of revelation will rock the very foundations of our world."

 _('No kidding,')_ Chisame thought bitterly. _('It's already rocked the foundations of my world….')_

"And what I also know is this: having faced Sakura- _san_ already, I know that I'm no match for her alone…and six days of training haven't made any difference there. Stopping her will require all of our strength. So, please, I beg you…lend me your power in this battle!" Kain bowed deeply to them.

The girls exchanged glances, many of them smirking at the absurdity of their ultra-polite teacher even asking. Mai stepped forward and put a hand to our chest. "Of course we'll help out…that's why we're here. We're your partners, and your friends, Kain- _sensei_. Let's do this!"

The rest of the group cheered, and Kain, his face flushed, began to thank them profusely.

"So, what is our strategy then?" Kiami murmured. "It should be about ten o'clock when we leave here. The third day has begun, and the culmination of the World Tree—what else do we know?"

"Sakura- _san_ told me before that her operation wouldn't start until after noon," Kain explained. "I have reason to believe her. Not that we should waste the time we have—we should probably split up and see if we can learn anything more about what she's planning before it begins…."

"What!?" Hinagiku started. "And here I was all ready to go…."

They teleported outside—Alyssa had already left some time earlier. After one last discussion on plans, they headed out.

And behind them, on the glass of Alyssa's resort, a letter appeared: signed by Sakura, it declared, 'Sorry, It's My Victory!'

8-8-8

Everyone separated, leaving Kain and Kazumi behind. Even Kamo had taken off. Kain turned to his student. "Well, Kazumi- _san_ , would you like to assist me with my search? With all this going on, I doubt we'll have an opportunity to go on our date we scheduled for today. This is…a poor substitute, but at least we can see some of the Festival together."

Kazumi stared at him for a second, blinking in surprise, but she recovered quickly. "S-sure!"

The two headed out of the forest and onto the main school grounds. Kain looked around in confusion. "That's odd…it seems pretty sparse around here. It…doesn't look Festive enough…isn't the last day supposed to be the grandest of the three?"

"Y-yes, it is…there isn't any sign of all the usual floats, the parade, o-or anything…."

She also noticed, although Kain seemed oblivious, that the few people who were present seemed to staring their direction. She caught snatches of a whispered conversation from three girls:

 _"Look, it's that child teacher…."_

 _"Is it really true?"_

 _"Well, we all saw that video. What do you want to do? Wanna try talking to him?"_

"I can't believe it…but it almost seems that this is…the everyday commute of Mahora Academy?"

"I-I think so…what does this mean?" Kazumi wondered.

"Excuse me…aren't you…Kain Lockeheart- _sensei_?"

Kain turned as the young woman approached him…a third year middle school student with long dark blue-green hair and eyes, one he vaguely recognized. "Yes, and you are…Asakura Ryoko from Class 3-E, if I recall?"

She clapped her hands together in pleasure. "Oh, yes! You really are as amazing as they say. We've all been wondering what happened to you, however. You should hurry back to your class. Yuki- _chan_ and the rest have been missing you badly…."

"W-what? Missing…what are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on!" she insisted, taking him by the wrist and dragging him towards the main school building. "The poor class has been in a fit! If you two are here, the rest of your class is back too, right? If that's taken care of, you need to talk to them. After all…now that they know that you're a mage, they'll want to hear all about it!"

" _W-what!?_ "

8-8-8

"What do you _really_ think, Mai?" Kagome asked as the three roommates (shadowed by the reluctant Chisame, who for some reason was not yet inclined to run off home, despite having been held practically captive for the last six days) walked amongst the buildings.

"Eh? About what?"

"About Sakura- _san_ 's plan," Kagome elucidated.

"You mean about exposing magic to the world?" Mai asked.

"Yeah. I…don't want to say I'm an authority, but I actually think it might _not_ be a bad idea…."

 _('WHY!?')_ Chisame demanded silently.

"I'm still just a novice at healing magic, but even from what I've learned, I can see that dedicated healing magic could be of great benefit to the world. If it was powerful enough, you could even save people with failing organs who are only living minute-to-minute, fervently wishing for a donor to appear. Magic could be used to cure cancer and all sorts of terrible diseases. Of course, not all of this is easy to use, but hiding magic from the world is only slowing the development of magic that could be researched to do these things.

"And not only healing—think about the kinds of things Kain- _sensei_ can do…he does all sorts of little things that makes his life—all our lives, really—so much easier. We rely on technology that is damaging our environment for the common comforts we enjoy…by comparison, wouldn't magic becoming widespread and well-known be a small price to pay for all these conveniences?"

"T-that's true…" Mai murmured, unable to come up with a counterargument.

"It may sound ideal," Momo put in, "but life is rarely ideal. Some things are better left secret. True, magic can do amazing things for people, but people can also abuse magic and do terrible things. Magic is kept secret to protect people…if you saw the war your parents were involved in, you might understand a little better. If magic was widespread, wars like that could become commonplace…."

"Maybe," Kagome said. "And maybe it's just because I'm from a magical family but only recently found out, but I somehow feel it wouldn't be bad to see a world full of magical people like Kamo- _kun_ and Kenjirô- _kun_ …."

"I don't want that," Chisame declared flatly, announcing her presence to the trio for the first time. As the three turned to stare at her, she continued, "I feel like shivering just thinking about a world where fantasy and reality become jumbled together."

"Oh…but aren't you already in that kind of world, Chisame- _san_?" Kagome asked slyly.

"W-what? What are you talking about?"

"But some of us _can_ use magic in this reality, Chisame- _san_." And she demonstrated, pulling out a wand and producing a candle flame.

"That's fantasy! I'm telling ya, no matter how you look at it, that's fantasy! _Your existence_ is a fantasy!"

"Oh, is that so?" Kagome said sweetly, putting away her wand.

"Anyway, within normal reality, a normal existence, things from the world of fantasy _do not occur_!" Chisame insisted. She took off her glasses as she continued, "Even if you think that this kind of reality without magic is boring, I like it. Leave me out of your dreamy fantasies."

"Oooh," Momo said appreciatively. "Chisame- _san_ actually seemed really cool like that."

"But, with _nekomimi_ …" Mai began—Chisame still had not taken off her cat ears and cat tail adornment—"saying that kind of thing isn't very convincing."

Reddening, Chisame put her glasses back on and muttered to herself as she turned away. She caught sight of a few girls, giggling at her.

 _"Look at those outfits…."_

 _"They're still in School Festival mode…."_

 _('…?')_ Chisame thought.

8-8-8

Kenjirô walked alongside Akari and Kiami as they wandered through the streets. "Is something wrong?" Akari asked as she noticed the other two tensing as they glanced around.

"We have been tricked," Kiami murmured. "Something is…."

Yue, Ami, and Nodoka had made it without incident to the library, but Yue froze in shock as she examined a newspaper inside it.

"What's wrong, Yue?" Ami asked.

"I-it can't be, it's…this date…!"

8-8-8

"Hina, you're back!"

"You've all been missing for so long! What about Kain- _sensei_? Is he back too!?"

"Forget about that! Magic! Tell us about magic! You know about it too, don't you!?"

Hinagiku, for once frightened and at a loss in a situation that did not involve heights, backed timidly into the room's corner as the class advanced on her. She had decided that her first duty was to look after the class, make sure they were taking care of things properly, and find clues about Sakura's whereabouts from there, but she had arrived to find that _something_ was definitely wrong.

And Ryoko Asakura made things more interesting by opening the door and shoving Kain into the room, thereby increasing the room's temperature.

They turned on him as he entered. "KAIN- _SENSEI_! LONG TIME NO SEE!"

"Where have you been!?"

"I…we were worried about you!"

Kanade, Riza, Miki, Izumi, Riku, Risa, Yuki, Matake, Yukari and Kaoru were the only ones present. Except for Yuki, who was sitting in her chair reading as normal, the rest had been advancing on Hinagiku but now turned their attention on Kain- _sensei_. They advanced for a second, but then stopped and began to fidget, as if, for once, they weren't quite sure how to ask…or each didn't want to be the one to ask.

Finally, after the wembling, Kaoru burst out, "Kain- _sensei_ …we were wondering…if we could see some of your magic…."

This declaration burst the dam, and they started talking all at once again.

"Right! We were surprised! Magic!"

"It's real, isn't it? You can really do it?"

"We _have_ to know more about this. And, more importantly, you showed everyone else who's been missing, didn't you? Why didn't you ever tell us?"

Kazumi peeked her head around the corner, and immediately her two friends zeroed in on her and abandoned their teacher. "Kazumi! Where have you been? Were you with Kain- _sensei_? Did you know about any of this?"

 _('I-is it true, then?')_ Kain thought, shocked beyond all measure. _('Magic has been exposed, then?')_

He finally managed to silence his students and they let him speak. "P-please, tell me…exactly what happened here?"

Miki blinked. "That's what we're trying to ask you, you know. Where have you all been all this time?"

"What do you mean, 'all this time'?" Hinagiku demanded, finally recovering enough to enter the conversation. "What day is today?"

"Today? It's June 30th of course," Riza informed them.

Kain, Kazumi, and Hinagiku all shared looks of shock. "N-no way…the Festival was supposed to be the 19th through the 21st of June…" Kain murmured.

"It's been over a week since the Festival ended?" Hinagiku sputtered. "How!?"

She turned and rushed out. "Hina…!?" Kain called.

"I'm going to see what everyone else knows about this!" she declared, and disappeared.

"Yeah, the last day of the Festival was something spectacular," Risa noted with pleasure. "Even I almost couldn't believe it."

"As far as birthdays go, it was one of my most favorite, ever!" Izumi, whose birthday was indeed the 21st of June, agreed.

 _('N-no way…')_ Kain thought, his body shaking. _('How could this happen…? What did…what did Sakura-_ san _do? How far as magic been exposed? This school? The city? Japan? Did she actually manage to convince the entire world…?')_

"Kain- _sensei_."

Kain turned and saw Gandolfini approaching. "There you are." He looked past the boy at his students clustered around the doorway. Then he turned away. "Come with me. We shouldn't talk about this here…."

Kain hurried after him. After he rounded the corner he began, "Where have you been? Dammit…do you realize how much trouble we've gone through during this past week? If we had managed to stop Sanada Sakura the day before the Festival started, things wouldn't have…." He shook his head. "No, I can't say that you're responsible for everything, but it was a mistake for Meia- _sensei_ to entrust Sanada Sakura to you back then. You'll certainly be held partially responsible for this."

He stopped and turned to see Kazumi following them and narrowed his eyes at her. "Yoshida- _san_ …you should not…."

"If you're going to hold Kain- _sensei_ responsible for what happened, I should come as well," she declared with surprising strength in her voice. "I learned about magic before the Festival. I'm a material witness to everything's that happened…."

"Kazumi- _san_ …" Kain objected.

Gandolfini cut off his _kohai_ and stared at Kazumi. "Is that so?" he murmured. "Very well then…you come as well. I'm sure you're hoping to try to speak on your teacher's behalf and lower his sentence…I'm not sure what good it will do, but if you're insistent about this, we'll hear you…."

8-8-8

As Chisame stood lost in thought, Mai, Momo, and Kagome continued their discussion.

"I still think revealing magic to the whole world is a bad idea," Mai said.

"You might be right," Kagome said. "I'm just trying to be like Kain- _sensei_ and see everything from the other point of view…."

"That might not be his strong suit, especially in this case…" Momo began.

 _('I knew it. This is….')_ "Oi, Hinamori…."

"Either way, things at this school will turn crazy if we can't stop Sakura- _chan_ ," Momo continued, not hearing Chisame. "I'm going to search around the school's underground…it might be useless, but it's a place to start."

"Oi!"

"Why don't you two just enjoy the Festival until the time…?"

"Listen, Hinamori!" Chisame barked, hitting her on the head with a Pow Hammer she had acquired from somewhere.

"Eh…? Chisame- _san_?" Momo asked, turning towards the girl and clutching her (not really) injured spot.

"Surprisingly air-headed. How cute. Look around you."

"Huh?"

"Take a good look," Chisame continued. "This…ain't the scenery of the final day of the Festival."

All three girls looked around in amazement to confirm Chisame's declaration. "What are you talking about, Hasegawa- _san_?" Mai demanded. "Of course it's the last day of the Festival…it has to be…."

"Mai- _san_! Momo- _chan_! Kagome- _san_!"

They turned as Hinagiku came charging into their midst.

"Mai- _saaaaan_ ," Yue wailed, leading her group in from the other direction and waving her paper in the air. "L-look at this, please take a look at this date!"

"Hinagiku- _san_? Yue- _chan_ …?"

Hinagiku snatched the paper at looked at it. "June 30th! It's just like they said!"

"W-what!?" they exclaimed after Yue and Hinagiku had described the situation. "Today is a week after the School Festival?"

" _And_ everyone knows about magic!?" Momo continued. "Are you sure about this?"

"Everyone in our class knows now," Hinagiku muttered. "It might as well be everyone in the whole world…."

"No mistake about it," Chisame muttered, looking at her laptop. "Today is June 30th. No matter where you look in the world."

"B-but how!?" Mai sputtered. "Why!? Did Alyssa- _chan_ 's resort malfunction or something?"

"Doubtful," averred Kenjirô as he and the martial artist twins joined the party. "If it had, we most likely would have gone forward six days, not nine."

"It's far more likely we've fallen into a trap of some sort that Sakura- _san_ set for us," Kiami opined.

"What do you mean trap!?" Mai demanded.

"Yes, a trap," Hinagiku muttered. "Something to trigger when we left the resort, or something…in any case, Sakura- _chan_ found a way to beat us without a fight…."

"A-and she _won_?" Mai demanded in disbelief. "J-just because we weren't there…or, I mean, even all the magic teachers and everything weren't able to stop her…?"

"It appears so," Ami said. "If what Hinagiku- _san_ said is true…."

"It really looks that way," Chisame informed them, bringing up videos on her laptop. One showed Mei Sakura leaving her dormitory and running into a horde of reporters, all of whom were asking her about the truth of magic in the school and its presence in the martial arts tournament. Mei, flustered, finally ran away from the group after blabbing the wrong kinds of things ["No, it's a secret…"]. "That clip was from five days ago. At the very least, it's pretty much blown inside of Mahora Academy."

"U-um…where is Kain- _sensei_ right now?" Nodoka asked.

"He was in the clutches of our crazy class when I left him," Hinagiku informed them. "He knows everything, and so he should figure out what to do shortly. For now, we should head to Alyssa- _chan_ 's resort. That's our best meeting place, after all…."

8-8-8

Kain and Kazumi sat silently in the dark room underneath the school's chapel where they had been confined. Gandolfini and the teachers under his command had separated them to take their testimonies, to avoid collaboration, although they had then allowed them to be rejoined while they went over the evidence. They had, however, taken Kain's cloak away from him.

Kain sat in near serenity, his face troubled but his form still as he stared at his hands clasped in his lap. Kazumi watched him carefully, afraid for him, worried about what the future would become and wishing she could do something….

Finally the door opened and Gandolfini entered…with Rakasu Klein following him. As Kain looked up, he noticed Takamichi enter as well, although he remained at the door, just inside the room.

"I apologize for locking you two up in a place like this," Gandolfini apologized with feeling. "After all, not only do we have a shortage of hands right now, but we're in a pretty tight spot, too."

He held up the collection of papers in his hands. "This report about Sanada Sakura that you have submitted…is this the truth?"

Kain gave a quick glance to Takamichi, who refused to make any show of emotion. "…Yes," he finally said.

"Ridiculous!" Gandolfini burst out, throwing the papers onto the table. "A plan to 'change history' using a time machine…impossible! There is no power that can do this kind of thing—time travel is impossible! Sanada Sakura is simply a terrorist! Considering the kind of things she did on the final day of the School Festival…."

"B-but…!" Kain began, then he stopped, took in a breath, and asked more evenly, "What happened on the last day of the Festival? What exactly did Sakura- _san_ do?"

Gandolfini pushed the bridge of his glasses up. "We master mages have lost completely," he confessed. "To a single girl…."

8-8-8

"What the hell is this!?" Hinagiku demanded in a rage. She grabbed the letter off of the glass. "'Sorry, It's My Victory'!? This is…!" She tried to calm down and take deep breaths, then inspected it more closely. "This is an odd letter. How does it work?"

"It's a magic letter," Mai explained, taking it from her. "I've seen some of Kain's from back home. It works kind of like this, I think…."

She pushed a mark in the corner, underneath 'English', that said 'Japanese', and then pushed the 'Play' button. To most everyone's surprise, a 3-D image appeared just outside the letter. It was Sakura, in her usual _kimono_.

"Hello Kain- _sensei_ , and all his companions! How are you? I'm very sorry, but with this, you have all completely lost. It might seem a little unfair, but to be honest, I just didn't really want to fight any of you…especially Kain. But the best tactic in any war is to achieve victory without fighting. It's the best way to achieve the ultimate aim of 'maximum results, minimum casualties'. I hope you don't take this personally…it's because I think so highly of you that I did this. You see, I left a special trap inside the Chrono Trigger I gave to Kain that would prevent him from reaching the third day. You all have fallen into my trap—you have found yourself in a future with a changed past, and it's no longer possible for you to return to your previous normal daily life. Welcome, everyone…to the new world that I've created for you…what could be called my _real_ world…."

8-8-8

"Sakura- _chan_ 's plot was incredibly well-planned," explained Rakasu. "The Magic Council isn't foolish, after all…we've been keeping this a careful secret for centuries, even after the advent of extreme information sharing in the modern age. We have many countermeasures in place to prevent the exposure of magic, and we have a specialized agency that's dedicated to dealing with these kinds of things. Even if people try to get on talk shows and reveal the existence of magic, we can deal with the situation. After all, nobody in the normal world really believes in magic anyway."

"However," Gandolfini continued, "Sanada Sakura used the magic of the World Tree's power and performed a spell of Forced Recognition Magic on the whole world." As Kain stared in shock, Gandolfini gestured and Rakasu's Haro hopped into view. It floated in the air and opened itself wide, then projected a few images in the air next to the man, one of a direct overhead view of the tree, showing a concentrated magic circle around the tree, and another one of the tree itself, glowing with magic, and pillars of light shooting into the air all around the tree at those six points.

"These are images from the final day of the School Festival, June 21st, at 7:37 PM. Sanada Sakura intentionally planned for this time, which was when the tree's powers reached their peak, and used a large force of combat robots to take over the six Magic Concentration Points around the World Tree. By the time we realized what she was trying to do, it was already too late. The Forced Recognition spell was made using the World Tree's power and a magic circle with a 3 kilometer diameter, and caused it to resonate with the rest of the 12 Holy Grounds located at various points of magic concentration around the planet. Three hours later, it had covered the whole planet. We only learned about this through our investigations following the disaster."

"T-the whole planet…."

"To be honest," continued Rakasu, "the spell was nothing more than a simple hypnosis…it worked to lower the disbelief inherent in those affected, causing them to be more susceptible to the belief in the idea of the supernatural. In other words, it gave everyone the minor thought, 'magic _might_ exist', but under the circumstances, it was enough. She scattered information about mages throughout the internet, beginning with videos and photos from the martial arts tournaments, incredible videos, but which also contained links to sites that gave detailed information about magic and mages, and even about Arcanus Myrror itself. It was impossible to halt this information…an incredibly advanced collection of programs were responsible for propagating it, and we've found ourselves helpless. At first, there was little difference, but now, after a week and more, the entire school is quite convinced of the existence of magic. In a month, the most advanced nations in the world—those with the most access to the internet—will believe in it. By the time half a year has passed, the entire world will accept the existence of magic as a self-evident truth."

8-8-8

"…And that's how my plan worked," Sakura finished explaining. "Chaos will continue for the next five to ten years as a result…it'll be troublesome for you. I imagine most of your classmates who are part of the magic circle have already disappeared, recalled to their homes for protection or because of their involvement in my plan. Still, it should be much better…this work should also greatly slow down the advance of the Obsidian Prince and his forces, since there will be much more scrutiny on the magic world, and it will keep Kain away from them until he's matured and advanced enough to truly face them. It may seem painful at first, but in the end, this will benefit everyone.

"That's all," she finished, bowing as she faded away. "I hope we will eventually meet again…."

"…I see," Chisame said finally as the whole group stared in continued shock. "It's possible she chose this era because the internet has just emerged as a tool capable of carrying out this kind of operation…."

"W-what's all this mean?" Mai demanded. "I don't understand…."

"Are you one of the _Baka_ Rangers now, Tokiha?" she snapped. "It means that her plan was a big freakin' success! We're headed straight to Happy Land, a wonderful fantasy world where Dreams Come True and all that!" _('Damn it…this ain't no joke…I so wanna_ tsukkomi SOMETHING _….')_

Suddenly Kamo manifested. "Well, guys, this isn't good. Kain's in a pickle, too…."

He had already learned everything about the new world they were in, and furthermore described Kain and Kazumi's condition.

"H-he'll be punished for this?"

"Probably turned into an ermine. Well, that kind of punishment is usually a threat to scare children, but since someone has to take responsibility for this mess, he'll be the scapegoat…and he'll need to receive it as protection, too…."

"P-protection!? From what…!? He doesn't deserve this…!"

"I can't really explain all that right now, but he'll almost certainly have to be deported to Arcanus Myrror. He's too grand a celebrity…besides this school and his hometowns, there were actually only a few people who even knew he existed. Most of you guys really have no idea. If he's lucky, he'll be grabbed by Avalon…she should be able to protect him…but in any case, none of you guys will ever be allowed to see him again…."

Nodoka, already frightened, worried, and depressed, grew manic at this thought. Shivering, she muttered, "N-never…no way…Kain- _sensei_ …."

"I'm going to save him!" Akari declared. "I don't care who the Magic Council thinks they are!"

"W-wait, you're going against all the teachers?" Kagome demanded.

"C-can't we negotiate with them?" Yue pleaded.

"Kazumi- _chan_ 's already trying to do that, but it's not a good chance," Kamo mused. "They're a thick-headed bunch, after all, and they're in a pretty tight spot too…to be honest, Kain might get off the best of any of them. Every teacher at this school is likely being held responsible for such a colossal disaster…."

"I don't care about any of that!" Mai suddenly burst out. "No way…I won't let them ruin all of our lives like that! I'll blow them all away!"

She stopped and everyone stared at her as they recalled what she had called forth…some time ago, at the tournament. "Er, I mean…" she continued more calmly.

"Wait a minute," Chisame asked patiently. "Oi, small animal—what about that time machine you guys had? Couldn't you use that to fix this? If we could go back to the final day, maybe we could stop Sakura's plan?"

"Not at all," Kamo declared immediately, dashing the hopes that had momentarily risen. "It can only be used during the Festival, when there's enough magic in the air to operate it, and only for twenty-four hours periods. At least, that's what Sakura- _chan_ said. Of course, from the look of things, she had it transport us this far, so theoretically if it had enough magic at its source it could go back the other way, but we'd need a much stronger source of magic than we currently have available. Devices like that aren't my specialty, so it's all wild theory…I'm mostly at a loss for how we can manage it."

"T-then the world is really stuck like this…?" Chisame muttered, going into a special state of panic. "W-what do we do…?"

"You said _mostly_ at a loss," Kenjirô finally said. "You have something."

Kamo laughed. "That's right. Don't panic, Chiucchi," Kamo warned her. "I have a couple tricks up my sleeve that could get us out of this. I'm going to go see Kain…you guys try and join us. He's under the chapel. I warn you…you have your work cut out for you. Two teachers, including Meia- _chan_ , are coming for you, and they're almost here. They're probably going to arrest you, so you can't let them catch you. Best of luck!" And he vanished again.

Everyone stared at his vacated location, and then Kiami tensed and glanced out the window. "Kamo- _kun_ is right…we're out of time. I can sense them approaching."

Yue hurried to the window and stared out at the approaching figures. Besides Meia, there was a tall dark-haired man in a black suit with sunglasses and a well-groomed goatee (with sideburns). And, naturally, a cigarette in his hand. "W-why?" Yue asked.

"It's Alyssa- _chan_ 's cottage," Hinagiku noted. "Perhaps they suspect she was an ally of Sakura- _chan_. Or they know she was Kain- _sensei_ 's friend…it'd be useful to have her around right now…."

Momo observed the group. _('We have too many non-combatants here. It'd be dangerous to fight….')_ "Do we try to talk?" she asked. "Or do we…."

 _('Fight?')_ Chisame thought. _('Are you kidding me?')_

Nevertheless, the grim smiles on the faces of many told the answer.

 _('I'll save you, Kain!')_ Mai thought fiercely, echoing the sentiments of most of the group.

8-8-8

"Please wait!" Kain insisted. "I still have the time machine Sakura- _san_ gave me! If I use that, I can return to the last day of the Festival, and…."

"Are you still spouting nonsense!?" Gandolfini roared. "Time travel is impossible! Enough is enough!" He calmed down and adjusted his glasses again. "The principal has already departed for Arcanus Myrror. He can help take the lead in developing realistic response plans…although it's probably too late to do anything." He turned and began to walk out. "All of the Mahora mages will likely be deported and held responsible for this incident. You're no exception, Kain- _sensei_. Most likely, you'll never come back here again."

Kain slammed his hands on the table and propelled himself to his feet. "W-wait! What about my job, my students…!?"

"Your training is over now…even if you're the son of the Grand Archmage, you aren't exempt from this incident…besides, those videos that were leaked were of the True Battle Martial Arts Tournament, so you're a symbol right now…the symbol representing mages. You're a celebrity. We certainly can't afford to have you wandering around free, causing disturbances. You can't stay here any more…for the sake of all mages…and especially for your sake. Give it up. You'll never see your students again. Rakasu- _chan_ , let's go."

Rakasu watched Gandolfini walk out, then turned back to Kain and Kazumi and gave them a brave smile. "We believe in you, Kain- _sensei_ ," she whispered. "If you believe you still have a way to stop this, don't give in." Then she turned and hurried out after the teacher. As she passed Takamichi, she nodded to him, and he nodded back.

The door closed behind them, but Takamichi remained in the room. He turned to Kain as the boy slumped into his chair.

8-8-8

BAD END

"School Festival Sanada Sakura arc"

Ermine End no. 16

After that, he spent 6 months as an ermine and never returned to Mahora Academy again.

(A picture of Kain the Ermine)

Continue

End

Strategy Hint Think about where you made the wrong choice

Was it a good idea to hold a strategy meeting at Alyssa's resort the night of Day 2?

Was it a good idea to enter the Tournament so carelessly?

Was saving Sakura and accepting the time machine the right thing to do in the first place?

Return to the previous save point and try again

You should be able to discover the clues to advancing

"So, this is basically the situation we're in," Chisame explained with a sigh, showing off the strange poster. This is a comedy piece, so don't ask where she got a video game end screen.

"Wait, wait!" Mai insisted. "Don't end the story on your own! Shouldn't we at least try to 'Continue'!?"

"In any case," Chisame continued, returning to seriousness, "should we really try and fight those teachers? And what good would it do? There's nothing more we can do, right?"

"No, that isn't true," Momo insisted. "Kalan never would have given up. He'd have found a way…and Kain- _sensei_ will too, if we can only get to him. I'm not going to accept this and go calmly back to the Soul Society."

"I'm not letting them push us around in this situation," Kenjirô said. "I'm already in too much trouble. I wasn't sure Sakura- _san_ 's plan wasn't a bad one, but I'm not putting up with this. If there's any chance, I'm going to try to make things right."

"That's right!" Hinagiku said. "We still have hope, as long as we're together—we can do this!"

"I'm more than willing to try," Akari agreed, cracking her knuckles. "I've just been adopted by this magical world, but I'm not going to let the 'inner world' dictate how our lives go just like that!"

"We've got plenty of strong arms and hearts here," Kiami smirked. "We might be able to pull this off…."

Meia and her companion had finally arrived. She stepped forward. "Tokiha Mai, as well as ten others…we know you're in there. Please come out peacefully and follow us. We have no wish to harm any of you. We simply need to question you regarding the recent incident…it would appear you are all important witnesses."

"…Hear that?" Chisame asked. "Not that I'd trust it without question, but she's offering a peaceful solution. I know you guys are all ready to fight, but I ain't got any combat experience, and I don't like the idea of fighting…."

"No," Mai insisted. "I think we've made up our minds. We break through, and rescue Kain, just like Kamo- _kun_ said."

"O-oi…!"

"If we have any chance of going back with the power of that device to change things, we need to act _now_ ," Kenjirô said. "If we get held for questioning and such, our last chance will likely slip away. If we just give ourselves up…I'm not a prophet, but I'd say our open path will definitely become a dead end."

"Dead end…?"

"It sounds like you have a plan, Kenjirô- _kun_ ," Kiami murmured, smiling slightly. "You sound quite serious…."

"Despite some people's ideas about me, I'm not an idiot," he said simply. "The best battles require intelligence, and…I think that idiot is rubbing off on me some. Nodoka- _san_ , we're sure Alyssa- _sama_ isn't present?"

"N-no, the resort's counter says 'zero' right now…."

"Either she's been detained, or has gone underground. We can't rely on her." He turned to Chisame. "Chisame- _san_ , can you access the internet?"

"Not here, but if I reach the wireless LAN hotspot in front of the train station…."

"That'll work. Okay, are you ready? Let's go!"

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: Character Introduction: Ryoko Asakura_

 _And so the evil villainess isn't even present yet (except in letter)…she's already won! How are they going to handle this? Let's not waste too much time on this strange question…._

 _T his chapter introduced the wonderfully adorable Ryoko Asakura, from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. She is connected to Yuki Nagato in various ways. Veterans of that show know what these connections are—her relationship is actually nearly the same as in that show. So, she is also inhuman, and is a minor character here, although she will appear in an important role somewhere down the line. For now, that's all we'll give about her. Hehehehe…._

 _Okay, on to the next chapter! The plot sickens! …Or, something!_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Chapter Two: Dreamer of Dreams, Act Two: Dreams Go By

Meia looked up in surprise as Momo, as a Soul Reaper, and Mai, in her battle costume, rings already present, emerged from the house. "So you came out. …Where's the rest of them?"

"We can't give ourselves over to you right now, Meia- _san_ ," Momo informed her.

"Sorry, _Senseis_ , but we have to break through," Mai insisted.

Meia observed them carefully. "…Is that really your decision?"

"Snap." Momo drew her sword and called her artifact around her. Mai floated a bit into the air.

Meia sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. I didn't think you'd actually help Sakura, but if you're going against us, I can't think of too many other reasons. Sorry about this." She raised her hand and thumbed her ring. "Let's go, Kataragi."

"It seems we must," agreed Kataragi, striding forward. "We'll try not to hurt you too badly, regardless…you are our students…."

"You sound confident," Momo teased. "Have you forgotten who we are? It will take more than mere teachers of Mahora Academy to take down a _shinigami_ officer and the Crystal Princess…."

Mai glanced sideways at Momo for a second, but returned her attention to the teachers. Meia merely narrowed her gaze…and then fired a beam of light at Momo.

Momo's sash rose up into a wall to block the shot. Momo then stepped behind her, bringing her sword around and activating it. The explosion rebounded off the shield Meia made with surprising speed.

 _('It's as Aizen said in my phantasm,')_ Momo lamented. _('I teased her, but the best humans learn at a speed that belies their short years…Meia is among the most powerful teachers at the school and incredibly versatile….')_ She faded back out of the way of the barrage of magical missiles Meia released from her ring….

Her companion, meanwhile, had begun to unleash a barrage of shots from his fingers, motioning almost as if he was pantomiming the shooting of a gun. Mai used her own shield to block most of the shots. She finally managed to unleash a fire blast of her own, but he deflected it and began to chant even as he continued his attacks. One shot went seemingly wild, but when it hit the ground underneath Mai it propelled her up and ruined her concentration, putting her on the defensive.

"Mai!" Momo cried, turning back.

"Don't look away!" Meia insisted, and sent Momo flying into Mai with a kick.

Kataragi finished his chant and slammed his palm to the ground, and a cage in the shape of a whirlwind rose up around the two girls. Momo looked around as she picked herself up. "Oh dear, we're caught," she murmured cheerfully. "Well, they are better than I expected."

"They're much better trained than I am," Mai sighed. "I guess we can't go easy on them…."

"No, Sakura- _chan_ 's probably relying on us wasting our time fighting the teachers like this," Momo agreed. "They're not our real enemy…we need to stop her. She's the most dangerous one, even when we're not fighting her…." She strode forward and inspected the wall. "In any case…you can handle this, right?"

Mai sighed. "Those six days we just had were the first time you explained _any_ of that to me…but I'll give it a try…."

"That was far too easy," Meia muttered. "Make sure to pay attention in case they find a way out of that."

"No problem. In any case, the other nine should still be inside…the ones we need to watch out for are Heiro Akari, Tsukimori Kiami, Hanatabi Kenjirô and Katsura Hinagiku, correct?"

"Yes. If we can restrain the other five non-combatants, they should surrender peacefully…."

They walked in and saw… a strange scene. Kenjirô Hanatabi was seated on the couch in the entry room, with the girls all crowded around him, as if they were his harem. He looked up and smiled at them. "Yo. How goes?"

Meia narrowed her eyes again. "What is this…?"

The girls all turned and smiled at her…the same small smirk. A smirk that didn't belong to all of them, but only one in particular. Meia's eyes widened. "Wait, these are…!"

The various forms exploded into smoke and emerged into copies of Kiami Tsukimori. "Sorry about this, _Senseis_ ," they apologized together, and made signs.

With Kiami's _ki_ spread out to this number of clones, they were not particularly powerful, but they were enough to initiate to an already-prepared _jutsu_. An explosion of foul-smelling smoke drove them from the house…and right into Mai and Momo, who emerged from the wind as Mai slapped it aside with her arm.

8-8-8

"Well done," Kenjirô congratulated the _ninja_ as she announced the success of their escape operation. "Nine _bunshin_ at once…that's talented." They all continued running down the path.

"Not really," she denied. "At my level, nine are almost useless as more than a distraction. We're just lucky that that's all we'll need…."

"Should we really have left those two alone?" Hinagiku muttered. "I hate running away…we could probably have taken them…."

"They have far more actual combat experience than most of us," Kenjirô averred. "I would have loved to have fought them, too, but right now it's not the time—it would take too long. We need to get back to the Festival so we can fight Sakura- _san_ instead…."

"Quite surprising," Yue noted. "I never thought I'd see you run from a fight…."

"If I want to fight the way my heart desires, I can't waste time with this stupid pseudo-world," Kenjirô explained blandly. "We all have to go back, so Kain and I can continue fighting each other…."

"Okay…but was it really okay to leave two of our strongest combatants behind?" Yue asked next. "We can't tell if those were our only opponents…."

"They have the best chance, and more than that, they're the ones we can pull in a hurry…."

"Oi, kid! We're in luck! There's a telephone booth up ahead here…."

"On a forest trail like this?" Ami asked. "We are lucky…."

"Can you connect to the internet with that?" asked Kenjirô, a boy with only a passing understanding of technology.

"Yeah, but it's only an ISDN, so it'll be a little slow."

"Okay, hurry up and search! We're looking for the homepage of Mahora's 'World Tree Fan Club'."

Chisame started. "What!? That pathetic-sounding club…?"

"Just do it. I think I know some of what Kamo- _kun_ was thinking…."

Kiami glanced back up the path. "Uh-oh…."

"K-Kiami- _san_ , what's wrong?" Nodoka asked.

"More company…."

"That's enough."

The speaker stepped into view…Tear, Rin at her side, flanked by Mei and Kajirô. "You…including the other two you left behind, all eleven of you vanished with Kain- _sensei_ over a week ago. We need to question you about your involvement in Sanada Sakura's plan to expose magic…."

"P-please come peaceably," Mei begged them.

"Or not, if you like," Rin interjected. "It won't matter, either way."

Kenjirô manifested his sword as he stepped forward. Kiami, Akari, and Hinagiku stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "Really? It looks pretty even to me…."

"You all…are pretty determined," Kajirô murmured.

Hinagiku met his eyes. "What about you, Kaji- _kun_? You're under orders to take us in?"

He shrugged. "That is what we've been told, yes. Why are you resisting? What can you possibly accomplish? Do you really believe that you can go back in time and prevent this, or something? Because there's no logical reason for fighting us now that this is all over…."

"We do believe it, Kaji- _kun_ ," Kenjirô said. "We will stop Sakura- _san_ , no matter what it takes. We don't want to fight anyone, but we don't have time for all these rules. So, if you're going to stand in our way, we'll have to stop you. Don't worry…after we change the past, you won't remember a thing."

Tear snorted. "Yes, Kain- _sensei_ was going on about that nonsense. Time travel is impossible. Your fool's errand is hopeless. I'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, but we came prepared. _Grand Suppression!_ "

The three girls gestured, and a magical circle appeared underneath them. "Ah, crap!" Kenjirô groaned. "When…?" The rising magic hit them immediately, and dropped them to their knees, their strength fading away.

"We prepared this ahead of time," Rin explained. "You all are too powerful of fighters to underestimate, so we made ready for you. This spell is area-based and acts too quickly for even your sword to negate, Hinagiku- _chan_. Sorry, but this is our victory."

"S-sorry…" Mei agreed pathetically.

Chisame, Kagome, Yue, Nodoka and Ami recoiled in fear as the three began to step forward. "So, that's enough then," Tear insisted. "Please come with us, and stop resisting."

A breeze began to flow around them, lightly tossing hair and rippling skirts ever so slightly. Chisame clutched her computer and tried to burrow into the phone booth, and the other four huddled together as they backed up, but their faces still had resolve in the midst of that fear.

"Come now, you shouldn't…."

The slash of Kenjirô's sword cut off Tear's command. She managed to dodge away from the strike, and Rin and Mei also retreated, eyes wide, as their four enemies rose to their feet. The magic of the field they were in was still sparkling around them, but it no longer seemed to be having any effect.

"What the…how…!?" Tear demanded. Then she glanced back at Kajirô. "That wind!"

"Sorry," Kajirô murmured. "I hate to go against the Magic Council's decision, but I'm going to side with them here."

"What's going on?" Yue muttered, fascinated.

Kajirô began to politely explain in anime fashion. "My sword is a wind-element, but unlike most weapons of that element, its greatest power is defensive, and not offensive, in nature. My Wind of Balance protects myself or anyone I choose to affect with its tender caress, preventing them from being subject to poisons, illusions, enchantments, or any other effects that bind, debilitate, restrict, or otherwise work against them without causing direct injury…in RPG terms, you could say it makes them immune to all status ailments besides death caused by normal combat injuries. A paralysis spell like this means nothing against my power."

Hinagiku smiled slightly. "Thanks, Kaji- _kun_." She readied her sword as the four began to advance on the three luckless lady mages. "We really owe you for this…."

8-8-8

Meia and Kataragi stared as Mai broke apart the wind prison and stepped forward. Momo readied herself once again.

"Sorry, Meia- _sensei_ ," Mai said. "We're going to have to keep you here for a little bit longer…."

Meia smiled slightly for just an instant. "You've got guts, Mai. All right…let's try this again…."

Mai activated her _kanka_ and leapt at Meia. Momo moved in to attack Kataragi. This time, they began to press their advantage; both students were more of close-range fighters—at least compared to both teachers, who tended to prefer long-range combat—and so they stuck close to them.

Meia's actual combat skills were greater than Mai's, but, powered as she was by _kanka_ , Meia was unable to match her. Her ring provided versatile magic, forming shields and various shapes of magic to protect her and help her hand-to-hand combat, but the touch of Mai's hand and her natural anti-magic power shattered that magic every time she tried to form it. Meia countered this severe disadvantage by switching to area-effect spells and other attacks that she could not so easily counter, but still her attacks seemed ineffective.

Momo, along with her sash, provided an equal level of discomfiture to Kataragi. She dodged most of the attacks he offered easily, and every time he tried to accentuate his abilities by beginning a chant, that sash came in from behind him to distract him, sometimes even wrapping around his head and forcing him to devote time to removing it and fighting it off.

It was a truly long and grueling battle—all four fighters had skills, abilities, and power, and not a single one of them truly wished harm on any of the others. So they battled onward….

8-8-8

"Five on three _is_ just a little unfair," Kenjirô remarked they finished tying the three girls' hands together behind their backs, leaving them seated on the ground back-to-back-to-back. "Not that I'm complaining—we really can't worry about this right now."

Tear and Rin had fought bitterly until they had been knocked unconscious, leaving Mei their only coherent prisoner. She stared around in fright and dismay, and focused on Nodoka as the girl approached, her book manifested. "W-w-w-what is that?" she demanded. "W-what are you going to do with that?"

"No, I'm sorry," Nodoka stammered. "Um, really, I'm really sorry…but, um…Sakura Mei- _san_ , about where Kain- _sensei_ is at…."

"W-what? W-wait a minute…that book…it can't be…! You can't, you can't…!"

While Nodoka read up on Mei's secret thoughts, Chisame continued working at her laptop. "Kenjirô- _san_ …will this really work?"

"I sure hope so. We only have a few hours left at most, so we'll have to hurry…."

"I-I've got Kain- _sensei_ 's location!" Nodoka declared, showing off her book and its childishly-drawn but highly-detailed illustration and map.

"It's as incredible as always," Ami remarked.

"No one can hide anything from Honya- _chan_!" Akari enthused.

"N-no…it's nothing…."

Mei was gently weeping. "Oohh…on top of failing the mission, even our intelligence…and poor Tear- _onee-sama_ and Rin- _onee-sama_ …they were so looking forward to finishing their schooling and heading out into the world as well…."

"It's okay, Mei- _chan_ ," Hinagiku informed her. "We'll fix everything, so history will return to normal and Sakura- _chan_ 's plot will fail! You can count on it."

Mei stared at her in disbelief and confusion.

Kiami glanced up suddenly. "It seems we have more people coming…reinforcements?"

"Probably," Kajirô remarked. "Most of the Magic Council's force is still here. We were sent as the first guard, but they'll know that Tear- _senpai_ and the rest were defeated…they'll be here soon."

Chisame snapped her laptop closed and stood up. "Are we done here, then? Maybe we should make ourselves scarce…."

Kenjirô nodded. "We're off to rescue Kain." He turned back to their newest ally. "Kaji- _kun_ …."

"You guys go on. I'll stay here and hold off the reinforcements, buy you a little more time."

"Eh? But, Kaji- _kun_ …" Hinagiku began.

"Go, Hinagiku- _san_. You all need to go back to the Festival, right? If you succeed, whatever happens to me, whatever I do, won't even matter. You have to get Kain- _sensei_ and undo this mess."

The group shared a glance, nodded and headed off, with a few apologies to Kajirô, glances back, thank yous, and mild protestations. Kajirô stared after them, and finally turned as another trio of mages, led by Megumi Natsume, alias 'Nutmeg', and Isumi Saginomiya, dropped into the scene. Observing their three bound comrades and Kajirô standing near them, Megumi burst out, "W-what's the meaning of this, Kajirô- _senpai_!? What's going on here?"

"I'm sorry, but the pursuit has to stop here. No one is going past this point." Kajirô raised his sword and began to revolve it in his hand. "Bring all the world to balance, Kamikaze [Divine Wind]." The long sword transformed, losing its guard, and the blade shortened slightly, but another blade of equal length emerged from the bottom of the hilt, leaving Kajirô holding a double-bladed katana. He gave a quick slash with his new weapon, and the wind around them suddenly intensified and began to gather. "Let's go."

8-8-8

"Takamichi…" Kain murmured as the teacher approached and took a seat opposite his younger counterpart. "Even with you…even with all the powerful Mahora teachers, you couldn't stop Sakura- _san_ …?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "All the mages in the school were taken out, one after another, in all the confusion…including me. By the time we realized what was going on, it was already over."

"Even Takamichi…."

"Well, I did manage to confront her, at least…but before I got to her, someone told me just what her plan was. At the last moment, I hesitated for an instant, and that's when she got me. To be honest, I think it was Miyu- _kun_ who hit me with the final shot."

"Shot…? Miyu did!? Were you hurt…?"

"No…there was a special kind of weapon that Sakura- _kun_ and her side were using. That's the scariest thing about it…despite what she did, there were no casualties at all. No one was seriously injured, let alone killed in her attack. No matter who they were, everyone got taken out by those bullets and attacks in one hit. I guess there was one exception, from what I heard, but in the end, it made no difference…Sakura- _kun_ was able to deal with the rest herself.

"She said that the bullets and spell-bombs she was using could only operate during the School Festival, but…considering the way the battle played out, with the various objectives, it was the most powerful kind of attack she could have conceived. As for her combat techniques…."

"W-wait a minute, Takamichi!" Kain yelped. "W-why are you telling me all of this!? Even if you talk about the Festival now…."

Takamichi smiled at him. "Because I believe you," he said. "Everything you told us…that was all the truth, wasn't it?"

"W-what?"

"That talk about the time machine. I'm not in any kind of position to help you, but Mai- _kun_ and the others are coming to rescue you even now. You're going back, right, Kain- _kun_? Together with your comrades, you'll go back to the final day, in order to stop Sakura- _kun_ 's plan and return the world to normal."

8-8-8

Heads poked out from the bushes. Hinagiku, Nodoka, Yue, Ami, Kagome, Kenjirô, Akari, Kiami, and Chisame sighted their target: the chapel. They exchanged glances, then headed for the entrance.

8-8-8

"W-wait!" Kain interjected. "If you believe me, Takamichi, can't you talk to Gandolfini- _san_ , Meia, and the rest and convince them…!?"

"No, as I said, I'm not in any position to help you," Takamichi averred. "Our fate has already been determined. We can't afford to directly interfere in this…most of their minds are made up, and getting any more involved will just start a civil war here at Mahora. It's already bad enough with your comrades, I think…it's up to you to seize your own fate."

Kain sighed and shook his head. "I guess so. I understand. I appreciate your confidence in me, at least. I do have one question for you, if you can answer it. You said that, when you confronted Sakura- _san_ , you hesitated…may I ask why?"

"Yeah…." Takamichi ground out his cigarette in the ash tray. "Well, it's rather simple, really. From how I saw things…even though we had to resist Sakura- _kun_ 's plan, in the end…I think that the Grand Archmage might have seen her side as the righteous one."

Kain started. "D-Dad…?"

"Maybe, maybe not. It's hard to say. He never listened much to philosophy, never worried about others' opinions…he generally chose the course he thought was right and went that direction despite what everyone thought. But, like me, he has seen all the suffering…all the terrible events that befall people in this world. Looking at the smiling faces of the students at this school can almost make me forget them…but the truth is that no matter how hard I work, there's a limit to my power, and to the number of people that I can save. In fact, the secret of magic handicaps my ability to save them. In a world like that, the world Sakura- _kun_ envisions, we could move freely…and people could be saved with an even greater amount of power than we possess."

Kain hesitated, and smiled sadly. "I've been worrying about that for a while. Will this really help the world…?"

"No, not necessarily. Things aren't that easy, and, moreover, using force to accomplish this, to enforce her vision on the world, isn't the right thing to do. I knew that…and even though the idea of creating a world where we would be free to save people without restraint, where our magic could openly benefit everyone…it was tempting, to be sure. But in the end, it was something else she said that made me hesitate, that left me vulnerable."

"…What was it?"

Takamichi stood and turned away. He waited for several seconds before he finally replied. "She said, with perfect honesty…."

 _"This is all for Kain's sake…so that he can face the darkness to come, like his father before him did…it is necessary so that, unlike his father, it does not overcome him in the process."_

Kain sat numbly. "For my…sake…?"

"I don't know just how this world will help you face 'the darkness to come', or what that means…but she honestly believed what she said. That's why I've decided to leave all this up to you. When you confront her, you can decide for yourself whether what she's doing is best for you…and best for the world. If it's you, the answers should become clear for both of you. Sorry about confusing you…."

His phone went off, and he answered it. "…Yeah. I see. Understood. Can you let Gandolfini and the others know as well?" He returned his phone to his pocket and started for the door. "Excuse me for a bit."

"W-what's wrong?" Kain demanded.

Takamichi glanced back at him with a smile. "They came to save you. Your comrades, that is." Then he turned back and left the room.

A faint, echoing laugh sounded out of the air above the table. Kain and Kazumi looked up in surprise. Kamo manifested and dropped onto the table. "I thought they'd never leave," he muttered. "Yo!"

"Kamo!" Kain exclaimed excitedly. "But I thought this was an anti-magic chamber…."

"It'll stop _human_ mages, but it can't do a thing to a magic spirit like me," Kamo declared haughtily. "They'd need a pure mana void cell to do that, and they decided three hundred years ago that that kind of thing constituted 'cruel and unusual punishment.' In any case, it seems we're in quite a pickle this time, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Kain sighed. "Takamichi has faith in me, but…can we actually return to the last day? T-the more I think about it, the more impossible it seems…."

"I think we can," Kamo said. "But we'll need more help." He turned to Kazumi. " _Ojô-chan_! Great to see you! Thanks for looking out for Kain! You ready to really help out?"

"H-help out?" Kazumi quavered. "Y-you mean…?"

"Coming from you, Kamo, that can only mean one thing," Kain muttered. "You want to make a contract between us right now?"

"Yes, and there's no time to whine about it right now—we need to do it, and do it pronto. I have a hunch that we might get something that'll be the last piece we need. If not, I'll have to call on Plan B, but the artifacts we get tend to be pretty useful…."

Kazumi looked up at Kain. After a few moments, she finally said, "You asked…the other night, Kain- _sensei_ …if I wanted to make a contract with you…I declined. I didn't…want it to be 'just because', just to make me like everyone else…but right now, if we're desperate…it would be all right, wouldn't it?"

Kain smiled bravely at her. "Well, I…I must admit, I'm kind of tired of it happening like this, but…Kamo's right. We need a little more magic than what we've got. If there's any chance it can help…and it's our best chance, so…."

"So stop wembling and get on with it already!" Kamo manifested his magic circle. "Hurry, before any other teachers come back!"

The two took their places. "Sorry about this, Kazumi- _san_ ," Kain offered unnecessarily.

"N-no, it's…" Kazumi began, and then Kain took her face in his hands and brought their lips together. It was dropped on them surprisingly suddenly, but for Kazumi, it was a dream come true. Perhaps it was the magic, perhaps it was her own feelings for him, but the sweet sensation of the kiss was the finest emotion she had ever felt….

The card appeared, and Kamo instantly split it into two and forced one into each of the new partners' hands. "Okay, nice, but we're on a deadline here. Call your artifact, Kazumi- _chan_! Let's see what we got!"

"Eh? R-right…I take this, and, um…appear…?"

The card flashed, and shot as light to her neck, where it reformed as a single round red bead on a string of (apparently) leather. It immediately began to glow, all on its own.

Kamo gave a yelp. "Oh, a Spirit Jewel, nice…this is a good one, and it's already summoning…oh, dear…talk about a mixed blessing…."

His voice trailed off into a mutter as the jewel around Kazumi's neck began to give off white light, which then shot out into the air in front of them and coalesced into a form…a small form, about two feet tall. It looked like a traditional magical girl's animal mascot, with a chubby body where the head and torso were indistinguishable from each other. It had long, floppy ears and stubby limbs, and it saluted the three of them when it was fully manifest.

"Hiya! Kamo- _kun_ , long time no see, you perv! And you! Fox-kid! And you! Lovely lady! The name is Milleko, and I'm here to help out!"

8-8-8

Gandolfini took a swig of his hip flask. "Y-you might want to go easy on that," his assistant, Seruhiko, pleaded with him. "I thought you weren't very good at drinking…."

"Ha! Lightweight, too true!" cackled another voice that _sounded_ good at drinking. Yukiji took another swig of her bottle.

"Y-you're not a very good example, Katsura- _sensei_ …."

"It's all right," Gandolfini moaned. "We're going to be punished terribly anyway. It doesn't matter what we do now. Everything is pointless. Today was supposed to be my day off, too. My one day off after a whole week…at least let me drink on my one day off…."

"That's right," Yukiji added. "I drink on my days on and on my days off, so it's good to have a drink every once in a while…."

"Katsura- _sensei_ …." Seruhiko sighed. "And please don't get like this, Gandolfini- _san_ …not with such cheap booze…."

"You should drink, too…."

"That's right! It tastes better when shared…."

"N-no, I'm…I'm on duty…."

Gandolfini sighed and looked down. "I have a daughter who just started primary school…."

"…I didn't know that…."

"The family will have to…move over there. And I, the father, will be sent off to the camp…which will make things hard for my wife as well."

"But it's not as if we're criminals or anything…."

"Even if we're not, we're going to get…quite a stigma…she'll be going to school over there, too. There won't be any hiding it. What's it going to be like for her…? Sometimes I…envy single guys like you…."

Gandolfini sighed again. "Even so, it's not as bad as we deserve…compared to what we've done to that boy…."

"Again with that talk?"

"What do you mean, 'again'!? Seruhiko- _kun_! He's the son of the Grand Archmage, you know! If he had simply been able to complete his training safely, without incident, he would have been an excellent Archmage himself, for sure! I know it!"

 _('Boy, this guy's tough to handle….')_

"Even after losing his parents and hometown, he still became such a bright and cheerful child. What we've done to him…."

Yukiji stopped swigging her bottle and belched. "Ha! You're worrying about the wrong thing, Gandolfini. He's the son of the Grand Archmage! And he's convinced he's still alive. When he comes back and finds what we've done to his son, he'll kick all our asses, for sure! He'll ravage and pillage this whole school! Hide the women and children…."

As her muttering trailed off, Gandolfini's phone sounded. He answered it. "It's me. Yeah. What? Intruders?"

Even as he was informed of them, Hinagiku and Kiami dropped from the ceiling and dispatched the two teachers with surprising speed. "Sorry, _Sensei_ ," Hinagiku apologized. "But we'll make this all right…."

"Well, well, it is you, Hina," Yukiji muttered as she came to her feet. She had been lounging on a couch in the shadowed corner, and the two had missed her in their swift invasion. "I figured you had to be with the rest of them…."

Hinagiku whirled around. " _O-Onee-chan_! What are you doing here?"

"What's it look like? I'm guarding the prisoner, of course."

"The prisoner…Kain- _sensei_!"

"That's right. And you all are here to free him. I'm afraid I can't allow that."

"W-wait a moment!" Hinagiku pleaded. "This doesn't make any sense. Do you even know what he's being held for?"

"Of course. He's a person of interest in the disaster that's allowed knowledge of magic to be spread to the general population. Pretty serious stuff. Even I never wanted him in trouble for something like this…or me, for that matter…."

Hinagiku grasped her head in confusion. "W-w-wait a minute," she demanded. "H-how long have you known about magic, anyway!?"

Yukiji belched. "How long? From the beginning, of course." She sighed. "And now, even though I don't want to, I have to apprehend all of you, my precious students. Well, at least it should help lessen my problems…."

Hinagiku brandished her sword. "Tch. We don't have time for this right now. We'll be going through you if we have to, _Onee-chan_ …."

"Hoho…you can try." Yukiji raised her arms and began to sway in a strange manner.

Kiami's eyes narrowed. "This is…."

"Here I come!" Hinagiku came charging in. To her surprise, Yukiji moved to meet her and then slipped past, and she went flying some random direction.

"Don't underestimate me," Yukiji muttered. "I haven't been this serious in a long time….."

Kenjirô and Akari appeared and came dashing in from opposite sides. As they were about to hit her, she leapt over them at the last second and they nearly crashed into each other.

"Drunken fighting," Kiami murmured. "True, honest-to-goodness drunken _kenpo_ , from someone who gets her power from boozing up…."

"You've got to be kidding," Kenjirô growled as he stood. "There are some _yôkai_ with power like that, but in a regular human? That's a bad joke…."

Yukiji turned an unsteady gaze and stance on them. "C'mon…I'll give you kids a lesson you'll never forget…."

The four came flying in on her, but, ducking and weaving, she avoided all of their attacks and fended them off with surprising ease. Unfortunately for them, as a diehard comedy character, her strength was proportionate to the situation as well as to her drunkenness.

"Amazing," Kiami mentioned. "It's a true, completely drunken fighting technique. My masters would find her interesting…she's fighting through sheer strength of idiocy…."

"Don't be too frank, Tsukimori _-chan_ …you'll be punished for it." Yukiji charged in and attacked Kiami. The _kunoichi_ retreated, tossing out a flurry of projectiles, but Yukiji weaved around them easily. Kiami then burst into four copies and switched her retreat into a sudden charge, but Yukiji sent all four of her flying, and the three _bunshin_ vanished.

Kenjirô came in next, unleashing a savage blast of _yôki_ , but the teacher advanced through the attack, broke his guard, and sent him flying backwards with a savage kick. Akari and Hinagiku attacked together from opposite sides, but the elder Katsura, spinning around, sent out a wave of _ki_ that repelled them both.

"Ah," Yukiji sighed, straightening from her latest attack while her foes began to pick themselves up. "I'm getting tired…we should finish this quickly…."

"FIREBALL!"

An orb of flame descended on Yukiji and exploded, enveloping her. When the flame and smoke cleared, she lay on the ground, comically charred and completely senseless. Her default state of being, but in this case, it means she was comatose.

The four combatants stared at her twitching form, then turned slowly and looked at the direction the missile had come from. Striding forward slowly and purposefully was a young woman about their age, dressed in bright and vivid traveling clothes with a heavy black cape. Her long flame-colored hair flowed wildly and her dark pink eyes were narrowed in determined focus.

She stood over the vanquished teacher and examined her for a brief moment before sniffing and turning back towards the entrance of the chamber. "You five, hiding over there—you can come out now."

Slowly, nervously, Nodoka, Yue, Ami, Kagome and Chisame emerged from their hiding place. "You guys…you're Kain's students…and his friend, right?" the new arrival demanded.

"And you, you're…Lina Inverse, Kain- _sensei_ 's childhood friend…" Kagome stated in awe.

"W-what are you doing here…?" Hinagiku asked.

"What do you think I'm doing? Kain is being held here, right? Like hell I'm gonna let them ship him off to some containment camp, in animal or any other form. If he's going to Arcanus Myrror, he's going with me! I assume from the look of things that you're here to rescue him as well, right? Very admirable. I'll let you tag along."

"Very noble of you," Yue murmured evenly. "Do you have any idea how to find him in here?"

Lina rolled up a sleeve. "I know he's sealed in a room underneath this place. When all else fails, blow it all to pieces until the only thing left is the doorway!"

"Er…w-we have a better way," Nodoka ventured.

"Eh?"

"I-I know where Kain- _sensei_ is," Nodoka explained, hurrying forward with her book floating next to her. "I know how to get there. We just…have to go this way…."

"Really? Interesting book you've got there…okay, lead on then!"

8-8-8

Soon they were hurrying down a winding staircase…a very deep winding staircase.

"O-oi, H-Honya!" Chisame gasped. "Is this really the right way?"

"Y-yes! Supposedly, the best way to get past the magical security systems is to go down this old stairwell…."

"But we've already been going down this stairway for forty minutes, you know!? Don't you think we've got the wrong stairs?"

"It certainly seems like we've gone down at least twenty stories, maybe more," Akari noted.

"It's annoying, but this _does_ seem like the right way," Lina growled. "Blowing through all the traps _might_ save time, but even if it's this annoying long-ass staircase, this would be a safe way. The basement of this place is actually located in another dimension, so it doesn't matter how far we seem to be going…when we reach the real 'portal' to that space, we'll be there. Gah, it's driving me crazy!" She calmed and stared carefully at Nodoka. "That's a pretty handy book you've got there. How did a normal schoolgirl get her hands on an artifact like that?"

"Oh?" Kiami asked teasingly. "Do you want to know, Lina- _san_?"

"Worry about it later," Kenjirô insisted. "We're losing precious time on this little magic staircase as it is…."

"It's true that this is a little weird," Yue remarked. "Is it possible we fell into a trap? Like, we're being shown an illusion or something?"

"Maybe," Kenjirô replied. "It's too bad we don't have Mai- _san_ with us. If we did, she'd take care of it pretty quickly…."

"You mean, with her magic cancel ability?"

"Yeah. Of course, Hinagiku- _san_ 's sword has the same ability, but it's mostly only for blocking attacks or cutting through barriers. Mai- _san_ can cancel almost any magic if she can locate it…."

"Yes, that's an impressive…no, you would have to say it's a highest-class ability, isn't it?" Yue was reading a book of her own as she descended. "On top of that, it's very rare. The records say that only a few of them have ever been found in the history of the magic world, Arcanus Myrror. Why does Mai- _san_ have an ability like that?"

"Who knows…maybe she…wait a minute, Yue- _san_ , how on earth do you know so much about that?" Kenjirô demanded, turning to her.

"It's written in my artifact."

"Your artifact? Wait, isn't that just a set of items for apprentice mages? And that book, a beginner textbook for them?"

"No, it appears that this is not just a textbook after all…."

"We're here!"

"The 30th Underground floor!"

"Kain- _sensei_ should be right down that passage…."

Indeed, the group had finally reached the end of the staircase, into a large circular chamber with three large oddly-shaped openings into the next passageway.

 _('It took 40 minutes to go down 30 stories…?')_ Yue thought. _('I guess this really is some kind of magical way…but….')_

"Why are there three passages?" Kenjirô demanded. "Which one?"

"Er…maybe…."

"Probably the center one…we better hurry," Hinagiku insisted, rushing straight towards the passage.

"Wait, Hinagiku- _san_!" Yue insisted. "I have a bad feeling about this…."

Hinagiku stopped just in front of the entrance. "What is it, Yue- _chan_?"

Then something flashed within the darkness of the passageway, and Hinagiku went flying past the group, slamming into the wall.

" _H-Hinagiku-_ san _!?_ "

Yue and Kenjirô rushed to the fallen girl's side, but the rest of the group was focused on the form emerging from the tunnel. Chisame balked. "Y-you're kidding me, right!?"

Ami and Nodoka stared in disbelief. "T-this is…."

A tiny figure, perched on top, was wrapped in a heavy coat and a wide-brimmed wizard's hat, obscuring the rest of its features, and it held a tiny curled staff in its hand. Regardless, it was of small consequence compared to what it was seated on…a massive hound-like creature with three heads and a mane of snakes.

"H-how much fantasy are we going to be pulled into!?" Chisame wailed.

"A real Cerberus?" Ami marveled.

"No," a mesmerized Nodoka replied, going into a strange Yue-like lecture mode. "Its mane is made of snakes, so this one is Cerberus- _san_ 's little brother, Orthrus- _san_ …eh…but Orthrus- _san_ should only have two heads…a cousin, maybe…?"

She continued staring, even mixing up her mythology in her amazement, it would seem, not that Chisame cared. "Wait, isn't this bad?" she demanded shrilly as the beast started stomping towards them.

"Let's run!" Ami insisted, grabbing Nodoka and dragging her down the nearest corridor. Chisame followed with.

"Let's just blast it," Lina announced in disgust, readying a spell. Even as she prepared it, another form suddenly swept into view from the air and descended upon her.

"Look out!" Kiami and Akari grabbed the sorceress and Kagome (who was frozen nearby) and dodged out of the way as a giant griffin pounced upon them.

Meanwhile, Hinagiku managed to pick herself up, but she, Yue and Kenjirô found themselves facing a new, terrifying threat…perhaps worse than either of these other beasts….

"You're…Takamichi- _san_?" Kenjirô demanded, manifesting his sword. "What are you doing here?"

He regarded them coolly. "If you want to get past here to Kain- _sensei_ ," he insisted, "you'll have to get through me."

Hinagiku gritted her teeth and readied Shirozakura. "Past…Takahata- _sensei_? You can't be serious…."

Kenjirô turned and hissed at them. "There's no way we can take someone of his caliber. I'll distract him long enough for you two to escape…."

"No way! Not anymore!" Hinagiku insisted. "We all go together, or…."

"That's right." A flash of Takamichi's powerful _iai_ blast tore through their line, separating them. "Don't think of escaping. It'll take all you've got just to survive…."

"P-please wait, Takahata- _sensei_!" Yue insisted, jumping to her feet and moving in front of the other two, her arms spread wide. "I'm sure you'll understand if you just listen to us! Hear us out first, please!"

Takamichi, his hands still in his pockets, stared at her calmly. "…Ayase- _kun_ , huh? I don't have anything to say to you. Stand down. If you don't, you're going to pay for it."

Yue stared at him in shock and lowered her head sadly as she considered his words. "…I see, 'Ayase- _kun_ ', is it…?"

"H-hey, Yue- _san_ …" Kenjirô muttered, pulling himself up and moving to grab her shoulder.

Yue shook off his hand and stepped forward again. "Go ahead. Make me 'pay for it', beat me down, do whatever you want to me. If you, our ex-homeroom teacher, is capable of doing that, that is."

"…Is that so?"

Takamichi's power flashed, and Yue went flying backwards from the force of the attack. Hinagiku turned and stared in shock as she bounced and rolled away. "Yue- _chan_!?" She turned back to the man in shock. "Takahata- _sensei_!?"

"Why, you!" Kenjirô stepped behind Takamichi and attacked him savagely, but the older man dodged away and then sent Kenjirô flying with a powerful blast.

Then Hinagiku was on him. He dodged the first swing and then caught the second slash on his arm. The power enshrouding him made it resist the attack as well as any blade, but at least he was forced to remove his hand from his pocket. "I don't know what you're doing," Hinagiku growled. "Regardless of our world or the magic world or any rules, it's inexcusable for a teacher to treat one of his precious students this way. The Takahata- _sensei_ I know would never raise his hands against his students!"

"Is that so?" There was a flash from Takamichi's other pocket and Hinagiku staggered back under a barrage of blows. After she had been forced back a few feet, he hit her with his _iai_ blast, sending her flying backwards into the wall again. "What's there to be surprised about, Katsura- _kun_?" he continued. "You're too naïve. If you're shaken up simply because I'm doing something like this, perhaps it's better if you just remain a middle school student and cease to get involved any deeper in the magical world."

He dodged back as Kenjirô came in again, sending a wave of power slashing from his sword. Once again the advance was halted almost as soon as it began, as Takamichi turned his unstoppable tide of _iaiken_ attacks on the demon boy, sending him flying again.

Takamichi turned back to Hinagiku as she again began to pick herself up and ready herself for another try. "Now then, that's enough playing around…you can either leave peacefully, or fight with me seriously…choose one. If you can't choose, then I'll make you choose."

Yue, coughing up a bit of blood, looked up. "Hinagiku… _san_ …?"

"Here we go," Takamichi said.

8-8-8

Down one of the passageways, the Cerberus had caught up to the trio and now had Chisame under one paw and Nodoka up against the wall under its other front paw. Ami stared at it in horror.

Chisame reeled in pain as the monster crushed her. _('I-it hurts. Seriously, t-this…this isn't a dream. I-I'm gonna die!')_

"Now then," said the little figure on top of the monster. "Shall I go ahead and crush them?"

Ami stared up in shock. _('W-what do I do!? This is a terrible pinch! Can't anyone come and help us? Hinagiku-_ san _? Akari-_ san _? Kiami-_ san _? Anyone? A-am I the only one left to fight this thing…but how am I going to fight it?_

 _('But the Cerberus has them both…there's no choice…I have to do something….')_

She drew forth her card. " _Apparait_!"

8-8-8

The big bird-beast continued chasing the other four down their passage. "Put me down already!" Lina insisted in exasperation, fighting out of Akari's grasp. "I'm all for running away when it's necessary, but _this_ bird just needs to be fried!"

"We've got enough distance for a counterattack," Kiami agreed. "Let's deal with this and get back to the others…."

Akari braced herself for combat, Kiami split and readied weapons, and Lina powered a spell as it charged in.

8-8-8

Hinagiku and Kenjirô dodged wildly as Takamichi's attacks shattered the air and walls around them. _('T-Takahata-_ sensei _…he's serious…how can this be the same Takahata-_ sensei _who guided us so well during our first two years…?')_

 _('This guy is scary,')_ Kenjirô thought. _('He can't possibly be the same guy Kain fought, the same guy I tested earlier. He has no heart, no emotion…just pure, raw power. What the hell is he, and what's wrong with him?')_

A quick attack caught him and sent him sprawling. He landed next to Yue, who had gotten to her knees and was feverishly reading her tome while she massaged the terrible bruise on her cheek. "Jeez, it's too much just dodging him," he moaned. "Hinagiku- _san_ is doing better than I'd have thought in this situation…." He turned to Yue. "Are you all right, Yue- _san_?"

"N-no…to be honest, it hurts a lot…my mouth is filled with the taste of blood. So these are the kinds of battles you and Kain- _sensei_ have been involved in all this time…? If so, I'll never see your taste for it…."

She coughed again and looked at her book. "But…it may be possible for us to break through this situation."

"I sure hope so, because we're not forcing our way past that monster through brute force."

"My true artifact is this book, ' _Orbis_ _Sensualim Pictis_ '. It's not just a magic textbook. It's a book that will answer any questions I have about magic. It's a kind of 'magic encyclopedia'. It even has a connection to the Mahonet and automatically updates itself as well. No, you might have to call it the ultimate 'Compendium of Thaumatology'. It even contains detailed information about Mai- _san_ 's 'magic cancel' and even _'kanka_ ' as well."

" _Kanka_? Well, hold that thought…."

Takamichi had knocked Hinagiku down and was now poised above her as she free-fell towards the ground. Kenjirô leapt into the air and kicked her out of the way. The force of Takamichi's _iai_ blast hit him full on and plastered him to the ground.

"K-Kenjirô- _kun_!" Hinagiku gasped.

Takamichi lighted upon the ground and walked by the smoking crater as Kenjirô coughed and writhed in pain. "You were lucky, Katsura- _kun_. Hanatabi- _kun_ saved you from that one…you should walk away while you still can. Surrender."

Kenjirô crawled out, panting. "C'mon…was that your best…? I can take more of that…."

"It's not at the level I used against Kain- _sensei_. I did hold back…I don't want to seriously injure you. But if you keep fighting me, I may be forced to…."

Yue hurried over to Hinagiku's side. "Hinagiku- _san_ , please listen to me. I've found a way to defeat Takahata- _sensei_ 's _kanka_. Your Shirozakura has an incredibly powerful magic cancel ability of its own…theoretically, not even Takahata- _sensei_ should be able to defend against this. That's how powerful the ability is."

8-8-8

A book appeared in front of Ami. " _La Guerre et La Paix_ ," she announced. She put a hand over the book and a spear—or, more accurately, a ranseur, a trident-like polearm that is best described as a staff with a sharp-bladed _sai_ perched atop it—rose from the book. The book vanished and she took up the spear. "The Spear of Mercury!"

"Oh? Going to fight?" the _chibi_ mage asked.

Ami grabbed the spear and plunged it point first into the ground. "Shabon Spray!" A blast of mist flooded the passageway, obscuring everyone's vision.

"Wait! What's this?"

Moving unimpaired through the mist, Ami slashed at the dog's legs with the blades of the spear. Her attempt was somewhat half-hearted, but it was enough to force it backwards and off of its victims.

"N-not bad, Mizuno," Chisame muttered as she crawled to safety. Ami helped move Nodoka away as the Cerberus retreated and the mist began to clear.

Ami immediately turned her attention back on the dog. She spun the spear around as she chanted again. "Shine Aqua Illusion!" A wave of ice cold water washed over the dog, encasing the lower half of it in a great block of ice.

"T-that's pretty amazing," Chisame added. "Why haven't you been helping out much before?"

"Ah, no, I'm still learning how to do this," Ami insisted. "I'm not a fighter, and this artifact has some limitations…."

The small form on top of the Cerberus smirked and raised a finger. The ice around it suddenly burst and disappeared.

"W-what!? Anything goes in this fight or something!?"

Nodoka managed to stand up on her own and the three ran and dodged around a corner as the beast attacked. Ami lay back against the wall and spread her arms out. The spear disappeared and the book returned. "I can only use one of these items at a time—the Spear of Mercury, and the Eye of Iris." A kind of visor rose out of her book, and she put it across her eyes. She turned and stared at the beast as it turned and began to advance on them again. Words and data began to flow across the visor in front of her eyes. She stared in shock as she comprehended it. "Wait…this is…!"

8-8-8

"Fireball!"

The spell engulfed the griffin. When it faded, there was no sign of any damage.

"What the heck!?" Lina demanded angrily. "What's up with that? A monster of that caliber can't shrug off my spells that easily!"

Akari dashed in and jumped to attack it, but to her surprise it slapped her aside with an impossibly-fast wing. Kiami came in as her usual foursome, but the creature gave a scream that threw them all away.

"Flare Arrow!"

Again the spell ricocheted off the monster's body without apparent result. The creature gave another roar, then blasted down the hallway past them. As it slowed and turned to face them again, the three picked themselves up from where they had landed.

"W-what kind of a magical beast is this?" Akari demanded. "It's invincible…."

"There's no such thing," Lina growled. "I get it now. _Somebody_ is not playing by the rules…against me, that's a serious mistake to make."

8-8-8

Kenjirô viciously attacked Takamichi, forcing him on the defensive. Hinagiku stared, waiting for an opening.

 _["Please recite the words I'm about to say, and then touch_ Sensei _with your sword. There's no need to take him down—simply touch him with that sword, and the activation requirements will be met_. _"]_

Hinagiku saw her moment and dashed in close, then uttered the Latin words that were, to her, easy. " _Tome Alkes kai Analkias_." She swung the sword, charged with power, and Takamichi was forced to block it with his hand. An explosion of energy flashed outward, stirring up wind and dust that obscured the field of battle. Kenjirô, dodging backward, stared. "D-did it work?"

The smoke finally cleared, and Takamichi stood there, apparently unharmed. He began to laugh. "Ha! Katsura- _kun_! It seems you had something planned, but it's too bad…it didn't work against me."

"I-it didn't work…? But Yue- _chan_ was certain…!"

Yue stared, then set her jaw and stepped forward. "No…Hinagiku- _san_ , don't you think this is odd? Any of this? That Takahata- _sensei_ would be able to attack us, his former students, without remorse or hesitation, and now, for him to laugh at us like that?"

She stared resolutely at the man. "Sorry, Takahata- _sensei_ , but it's our victory."

Takamichi stared at her. "What?"

"We were, of course, completely unaware that Takahata- _sensei_ was a very important part of the 'inner world'. But is he the kind of person who would hurt me, or Hinagiku- _san_ , his former students, or even one of Kain- _sensei_ 's friends, like Kenjirô- _kun_ , without hesitation, while still maintaining a calm face? I don't think so. The reason is, of course, because…you, Takahata- _sensei_ , are a fake.

"Even though the way you speak is very much like Takahata- _sensei_ , it seems you're a little careless in your imitation. It's not Kain- _sensei_ , but, to you, Kain- _kun_. Not Katsura- _kun_ , but Hinagiku- _kun_. Not Ayase- _kun_ , but Yue- _kun_. Kain was your personal friend…Hinagiku- _san_ insists on being called by her name by everyone close to her…and you always called us, the Baka Rangers, who often had to take extra classes with you, by our personal names.

"Furthermore…making Shirozakura's anti-magic ability ineffective was a bad move. Even if this is a fake world, the setting is too strong. From what we can tell about this situation, it's probably impossible for you to kill or forcibly incapacitate anyone with this skill, so you've simply tried to overwhelm us and break our spirits, make us surrender."

"Of course," Kenjirô growled. "I should have figured out that this is why I felt nothing but overwhelming power from him…."

"W-wait, what do you mean, Yue- _chan_?" Hinagiku demanded. "This Takahata- _sensei_ is…."

"There are two kinds of illusions that magic can create," Lina explained in a sudden but related scene shift. " _Hallucinations_ and _Phantasms_. Hallucinations work by controlling people's senses, affecting their mind so they perceive the world differently—it's basically just hypnotism, literal mind control. Phantasms create a fake magical form that can affect the physical world to a minor degree, depending on how powerful it is. However, phantasms, being formed, can break apart easily enough if struck. An invincible monster? If it can't exist, then it's almost certain that it doesn't..."

"My artifact is a book, 'War and Peace', ' _La Guerre et La Paix'_ ," Ami continued. "It contains two separate artifacts: the Spear of Mercury, which you've seen, and the Eye of Iris, which lets me examine the nature of spells and creatures that I see…among other things, telling me their weaknesses. But this creature has no weaknesses…and, in fact, no form or substance. In other words…."

"Takahata- _sensei_ …no, in fact, this entire situation," Yue finished, "is all an illusion."

Lina raised a hand. "Shatter, thou world of soulless mirrors."

And shatter the world did, breaking apart and revealing the ten of them still present in the circular chamber on bottom…with just one passageway leading away from the stairs.

"As I thought," Ami murmured while, except for the three quick-thinkers, the rest of the group stared around in shock and amazement.

The only thing left of the enemies was the shrouded little mage, who was now sitting on the ground holding its little staff, with dolls of a Cerberus, Takamichi, and a griffin surrounding it.

"So, _Chibi_ - _san_ , you're the culprit?" Yue demanded.

"W-w-wait a minute!" Akari demanded, looking around wildly. "It was all fake? That super-strong beast and everything?"

 _('I-illusion?')_ Chisame thought. _('But…the pain was so real….')_

As everyone tried to come to grips with their surroundings, Lina approached the little mage, an evil look upon her face. "So, you little brat, you're the one who thinks they can make a mockery of the great Lina Inverse!? You won't get off easily…." She cracked her knuckles menacingly.

The figure staggered backwards and fell on its backside, and the hat fell off…finally revealing the face of a small child, almost too small to have its gender easily identified (but it was probably a girl), with a short black bob cut. It dropped its staff and began to cry. "I-I'm sowwy," it wailed. "P-papa is going to be punished, so…I just…wanted to help…."

"E-eh?" Lina stared in shock. "A…kindergartner…?"

"So, are you going to punish her?" Hinagiku asked scathingly.

The girl jumped up and started pelting down the passageway. "Papaaaaa!"

"Amazing that a child that small was capable of magic like that," Kenjirô muttered. "She might be a prodigy of Kain's level…." He turned to Yue. "Nice job noticing that trap. I've experienced those kinds of things before, but even I was fooled."

"It was half a gamble. After all, you trapped Kain- _sensei_ and Mai- _san_ in an infinite shrine arch trap back in Kyoto, and Mai- _san_ couldn't do anything about that, right?"

"Well, yeah, but that was a dimensional type…."

"Yes, but the fact remains…Shirozakura's power, like Mai- _san_ 's, isn't all-powerful…."

"Yeah, but let's worry about that later. Everyone's going after the _chibi_ ….'

They hurried after the small mage, but Chisame lagged. "O-oi, wait you people!" she called after them. "Just wait a second! Are you guys really all right continuing like this!? Didn't that fight just now mean anything to you!? If we continue on like this, we might end up like that again, you know? We're just middle school girls! We're different from some storybook characters with some mission or destiny!

"Honya!" On hearing her title called specifically, Nodoka jolted. "You too! It's great that that one just now was an illusion, but next time you might _really_ get hurt, you know!?"

Nodoka paused and lowered her head, considering the question. "…Yes, that fight just now was really painful, and s-scary, too, but…." She turned back to glance at Chisame. "If we don't do something right now, we might never see Kain- _sensei_ again, so…."

"But is that enough for you to risk your life!? Are you prepared for that!? And even if you are, does it mean anything!? To be blunt, we're just Kain- _sensei_ 's students! That's our relationship, and that's all he sees us as! We're not obligated to go this far just for him…."

Hinagiku and Yue both paused to look back at her. Everyone else looked at her with similar expressions, but Hinagiku took the initiative. "Hmm," she said. "Honestly, with all my talk about my duties, I never considered much what it _really_ meant to risk my life, and I don't know whether it's 'worth it' or not. But, in this case…I guess you could say that too much has happened for us just to consider ourselves 'teacher and student'. Besides, in this case…despite how he acts, he's just a kid who's our age. We can't leave a poor overburdened boy like that alone, so we have to help him."

"We're here to help him whatever it takes," Kagome agreed. "For my part, even if all I can do is help heal him, at least I can do that."

"Right now, we're the only ones who can stop Sakura- _san_ 's ambition," Ami agreed.

Akari and Kiami just smiled.

"A boring but peaceful ordinary life," Yue considered. "An interesting but dangerous extraordinary life. Now that we've stepped onto the latter path, I believe we have the proper resolve for what it entails."

Chisame stared at them with distaste as they all turned and started after Lina, who had continued after the girl without stopping. She sighed. "Well, I wouldn't want the world to turn into some fantasy realm where mysterious and magical monsters walk the streets together…. Ah, hey you people, wait up! Don't leave me behind! I'm coming too!"

They soon caught up to Lina, who was following the little girl at her pace, probably not quite ogrish enough to actually start beating her down. Soon, the tunnel ahead began to open up into a brightly-lit chamber.

The girl went running to her father…Mitsuri Nijuuin, who was standing next to….

"Takamichi!" Lina called out, slowing. The rest of the girls behind her assumed their stances and readied their weapons, waiting to see what he would do.

He smiled his sad smile and lowered his head. "Well, well, Lina- _kun_ too…how nostalgic. Well, _minna_ …go on."

Hinagiku and the rest of them glanced up in shock, although Lina only added a slight smile to her scowl. "Eh?" Hinagiku asked.

"I'm not in a position to help you, but I suppose it's possible even for me to doze off for about ten minutes or so…."

The girls smiled in relief. "Thank you very much!" Hinagiku said, bowing. She rose and the group hurried past them.

"Thanks, Takamichi," Lina added. "Glad to see someone here has some sense…."

Yue paused to hand the child back its staff as everyone else headed to the passageway on the other side of the room. Takamichi called to her. "Yue- _kun_ …could you deliver a message for me?"

After handing over his message, Takamichi and Nijuuin watched them go. "Such reliable children, aren't they?" Nijuuin asked.

"Yes…."

8-8-8

The girls came running into a large chamber with several doors. As they looked around and Nodoka once again consulted her artifact, the doors suddenly opened on the right. Kain and Kazumi came walking out, with Kamo on Kain's shoulder and Milleko on Kazumi's. They stared at each other for a moment, then came rushing together in cheers and tears.

"Sure are popular, Kain. You've changed."

Kain ceased his prattling and stared at the girl. "Lina…you…are you another illusion, or…?"

Kain, of course, was referring to his tournament battle, but Lina had other illusions on her mind. She hit him over the head. "Don't talk about illusions," she growled as Kain cried out in pain. "Sheesh, you. I'm real…."

"Okay, but…what are you doing here?"

"I've come to get you, of course! I heard about everything that happened to you, how you were getting blamed for what one of your students did, so I came here to rescue you. I found the rest of your class here and decided to let them tag along."

"But how did you find out? How did you get here?"

She made a _tch_ sound. "Well, actually…."

"Actually, it's my doing."

Everyone started and backed up in shock as a newcomer greeted them. The man with shoulder-length purple hair and closed eyes bowed. He was dressed in rather plain and nondescript clothing with a dark cloak and carried an odd staff adorned by a red orb. "I'm Xellos, the Roguish Priest. I told Miss Lina about this and brought her here so she could rescue you…."

"Xellos the _mazoku_ , you mean," Kamo scoffed. "Did you know that, Lina?"

"Yes, but only when he told me about what had happened to Kain." Lina scowled at the man. "He's been bothering me off and on during my adventures for a while, but just yesterday he suddenly told me about what Kain's student had done, and how he was going to be punished for it. I knew it would take more than basic magic to bring me here in the time he claimed, so I hounded him until he admitted it."

"Right. So what interest does a high-level _mazoku_ have in Kain's freedom?" Kamo demanded.

"Oh…let's just say that this new world isn't very well-received by certain among us. We like things the way they are…or were. I'm just letting you do what you need to. Now that I've said my part, I'll take my leave…."

He bowed again and vanished. Lina scowled. "He's always got something up his sleeve. Now that I know that he's a demon, it all makes a little more sense…I'm not sure if I trust him more or less now." She turned to Kain. "Anyway! Now that you're free, we need to get out of here!"

"Get out of here?" Kain asked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean get out of here! We've got to escape! I guess the only safe place for us now is Arcanus Myrror. We'll be able to find places to hide there so the 'Magic Council' and whoever else can't do anything to you…."

The group exchanged glances and smiled. "I'm not going anywhere," Kain insisted. "What we need to worry about is not where, but when."

Lina blinked in confusion. "What? What do you mean, 'when'? What are you scheming?"

"Lina Inverse! Good to see you again!"

Milleko bounced over to Lina, interrupting this argument. Lina recoiled. "W-wait, what the heck? What's this thing!?"

"Ah, is this the first time we've met?" Milleko asked. "Or maybe we never will. It's the other you, so I know you well, but I guess you don't know me. I'm Milleko, magic spirit of time and space, and I'm here to fix things up properly. Kain and his students are going back in time…to prevent any of this from ever happening in the first place!"

Kain explained the situation to Lina so that she understood what had happened to them, and what their real goal was. "I see. Yeah, I guess that'd be the best way to go about this…okay, I'll help out."

"Now that we've got that sorted," Kagome asked. "What's this…Milleko, is it? Where'd you come from? Are you like Kamo's girlfriend or something?"

Kamo guffawed and Milleko giggled. "No, no…we're acquainted, but that's not why I'm here," Milleko insisted.

"S-she was summoned…by my artifact," Kazumi explained.

"Kazumi…you've made a contract with Kain- _sensei_ now?" Hinagiku asked. She sighed and scratched at her cheek. "That's probably for the best…."

"Artifacts and contracts," Lina muttered. She glared at Kamo. "Wait, if it's you, rodent…don't tell me you've made Kain kiss all these girls to form contracts with them!"

"Ah, unfortunately, not all of them," Kamo sighed. "But we're getting there…."

"I can't believe this! Really!? Kain, h-how could you let him talk you into this!? This is just…!"

"Save the amusing outburst for later, please," Kenjirô interrupted. "We really need to get out of here before any more opponents show up…and while we still have a chance of making this work. With…Milleko- _chan_ , is it? Hopefully she can help us complete our journey back to the Festival. For now, our destination is much deeper…we need to head to the roots of the World Tree!"

"B-but what about Momo and Mai?" Kagome said. "We've left them up there…."

"Ah! I was wondering—where are they, exactly?" Kain asked.

"We were attacked by Meia- _sensei_ and others," Yue explained. "We left them behind to distract them so we could escape and make it to you. The plan was to have you summon them with the cards when we rescued you…."

"All right, but I'll need my cloak. The teachers confiscated it when they brought me down here…after all, it has all my important weapons and tools…."

"Ah, never fear!" Milleko trilled. "It's a time and space artifact, right? I can feel it very close to me! Here we go!" She spun around, turning herself into a cartoonish whirlwind, and when she suddenly stopped, Kain's cloak appeared in her paws. "Here you go!"

"Handy," Kiami noted as Kain took his cloak back in delight. "Much handier than Kamo- _kun_ …."

As Kamo scoffed a reply, Kain swept the cloak around his shoulders. He dropped his hands into its folds and pulled out two cards. _('Mai, Momo…can you hear me?')_

8-8-8

Meia and Kataragi retreated, panting. "They're really good," the man admitted. "Well, Hinamori- _san_ is a skilled _shinigami_ , of course, but for Tokiha- _chan_ to be this good as well…this could go on for a while. We can't let this happen…I'll end it with the next move."

"Don't get too confident," Meia insisted. "If you use something like _that_ , you'll burn this whole area to the ground…and Mai- _chan_ 's anti-magic abilities might make it moot in any case."

Mai and Momo ducked behind Alyssa's cottage to catch their own breaths. "This is about the hardest I've fought before," Mai admitted. "What's taking them so long?"

Finally Kain's voice cut into their psyche. _'Kain-_ sensei _! There you are!'_

 _'I'm ready to summon you now! Are you ready to come?'_

 _'Just a second!'_ Momo insisted. As she lowered her card, Meia and Kataragi suddenly burst into view above them. Both had high-powered spells ready.

Mai raised her shield and her natural anti-magic to deflect the spells, and Momo dashed down to the back door. "Honoka- _chan_!" she called, and her _gigai_ came out. Momo moved into the body, expelling the pill, and she took it in her hand along with her card. Mai hopped down next to her as Meia and Kataragi landed some distance away. _'We're ready, Kain-_ sensei _!'_

"Our objective was just to stall you," Momo explained as the magic circles appeared underneath the pair. "Sorry about this, _Senseis_ , but we have to move forward…or maybe back, in this case!"

The two teachers stared as the students vanished. Meia smiled slightly. "Amazing…they got us." She looked wistfully back towards the chapel. "Well, best of luck, Kain- _sensei_ …I hope you and your students can actually work this out somehow…."

8-8-8

"So why are we heading to the World Tree's roots?" Lina demanded as they hurried down the passageways deeper into the heart of the school's underground, their group now expanded to include Mai and Momo.

"Look at this," Chisame instructed her, skillfully opening her laptop to show the data. "We have some ridiculous clubs at this school, including one that is full of devoted World Tree lovers. They have over sixty years of observation work placed on their homepage. On the years of the major luminescence, the illumination continues for six to seven days after the Festival ends, so there's a chance a portion of its power will be left."

"The roots of the tree are where the most magic is stored," Kenjirô continued. "If there's anything left, it will be there. I'm not sure if it'll have enough power to make the Chrono Trigger take us back a whole week, but it's the only chance we've got…."

"Well, is that all? The deepest parts of the roots shouldn't be much further. Let's take a bit of a breather. If you need the power of the tree, it hasn't lit up for the day, yet, anyway, so we'll have to wait for it."

They paused to catch their breaths. So close to the goal, the girls began to become giddy with excitement.

"Looks like we've managed to get ourselves out of a big pinch," Mai sighed.

"Don't count your chickens, Mai- _chan_ ," Kamo warned her. "We're not in the clear yet…."

"But still, I sure hope we're done…I can't run anymore," Kagome laughed.

"Getting attacked by those monsters was certainly hectic," Akari said wistfully. "As long as we don't have any more troubles like that…."

Chisame laughed. "Well, yes, but those were illusions anyway. As I think about it now, I realize that of course there's no way anything like those even exist…."

"B-but we ran into a giant dragon the last time we were down underneath the school, under Library Island," Nodoka said. "Location-wise, I think it's actually pretty close to here…."

"Ha! Spare me the jokes already, Honya," Chisame insisted. "They aren't funny."

Then something wet and sticky dripped onto her head. "Hmm? What's this?" she said with disgust while Nodoka looked up with bemused horror. "How disgusting…."

She turned to stare up at the source of the liquid. Soon the rest of the group noticed their attention and turned to look. They stared in utter shock and horror.

It was, indeed, the same two-legged dragon that had accosted the four when they went looking for Kalan's secret within the Library. "D-d-d-dragon!"

"Everyone, run!" Kain demanded, and soon they were off.

Roaring, the dragon started to pursue them, but then a powerful spell flew through the air and slammed its head. It whirled around, roaring with renewed rage, turning on its tormentor.

Kain stopped and stared in horror. "L-Lina, what are you doing?"

"Trying to outrun a dragon, Kain? How dense can you be?" she scoffed. "You guys get out of here. I'm from this time period. I don't need to make the jump with you."

"But…."

"I'm sure many people would agree with me that even two worlds aren't big enough for more than one Lina Inverse. I certainly don't want to share any of it with myself. Get out of here! I can hold this thing off."

Kain hesitated still, but Kenjirô and Hinagiku grabbed him and started hauling him away. "She's right," Hinagiku growled. "Kaji- _kun_ did the same thing for us, too. We'll make it right, no matter what happens, and she won't even remember any of this."

Lina flew around, dodging the blasts of the dragon's breath before settling upon a ledge against the wall. The dragon stalked around, sizing her up and considering her, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Lina glared back at it. "Goodness," she muttered. "I don't know what's going to happen now if they end up succeeding…whether this universe will simply cease to exist, or if this created time frame will continue without any of them. But what the hell. I'll bank on none of this mattering, as long as it works out. So that means…." She grinned evilly as she began to gather power. "…I can go all-out without remorse!

"Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows. Buried in the flow of time. In thy great name I pledge myself to darkness. Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the power you and I possess!

"DRAGON SLAVE!"

With her most powerful, signature spell in hand, Lina unleashed her power on the beast.

8-8-8

Everyone stumbled as the cavern suddenly shuddered violently from a massive explosion. "Was that…?" Yue muttered in disbelief. "Is…Lina- _san_ going to be okay?"

"She's a tough girl," Kain insisted quietly. "She'll be fine. And regardless, all of this…won't mean a thing once we return…."

"The roots are starting to glow up ahead!" Ami called. "Let's hurry!"

All of them had seen some incredible sights over the many months as their experience with magic broadened…but this latest scene stunned them to no end. They gaped at the massive chamber, perhaps a kilometer across, spherical, with several great bridges spanning its length, including the one their tunnel opened up onto. In the center of the room was a great platform, and around it was a great apparatus of some kind. Magic glowed in its center, and huge tree roots adorned all sides of the building…and some dropped from the ceiling to cup around the center platform.

"W-what kind of nonsense is this…?" Chisame muttered.

"Uh…d-don't look down, Hina- _chan_ ," Kazumi advised.

"Y-you don't have to tell _me_ ," Hinagiku muttered, trying to stop her knees from shaking. "Why are all these people so obsessed with heights, bridges and chasms…?"

"I-is this a device that gathers the World Tree's power?" Nodoka wondered.

"It doesn't matter!" Kenjirô insisted. "Let's get this over with!"

They hurried over onto the platform. They glanced around as Milleko bounded up to the center. "Yes, yes, this is perfect! The perfect counter to the villain's plot…defeated by the power of the World Tree, and then saved by that same power! Bring out your Chrono Trigger!"

Kain removed the egg and held it up as Milleko hopped onto the apparatus itself. "We've arrived. Now, I will begin the ritual which will return you to your proper time!"

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: A Wild Ride_

 _I could have a few character introductions, but really, these few teachers/students aren't really important enough to mention. If any have any other, more prominent parts—one briefly named girl will in certain scenarios I will use later—they will be introduced there._

 _This scenario took a little longer than I expected, and may end up being half of the Act. Probably not quite, but still, it's rather extensive. The scenario was originally put forth, of course, in the original story, but my more powerful characters—generally, on both sides—changed how things worked slightly. I took several liberties and made several adjustments, most of which probably aren't worth worrying about. I wanted the opportunity to show off Kajirô's Soul Blade/_ zanpaku-tô _-like sword, and its unique ability, so I had him save the group from a crafty spell prepared by the three_ Mahô Shôjos _. And I wanted an excuse to use Lina a little, so I brought her in. Unlike Anya, the girl she replaced who didn't really ever do anything, she could and would come storming in to free Kain as soon as she heard that he was in trouble. I won't introduce her, however, since she still hasn't really become a fixture. Hopefully this appearance will satisfy her fans until she really shows up…._

 _Besides giving Lina a humorous place to show up and make her presence known, having Yukiji as a comedic but powerful opponent was to give a bit of foreshadowing…keep this fact in mind (among other things, her knowing about the magical world is probably how she's kept a job at Mahora….)_

 _Originally, Setsuna and Kaede the ninja stayed behind to fight the teachers, and Kaede escaped ahead of time with a_ bunshin _. However, I felt that with the greater number of contracted fighters in mine, two contracted individuals made more sense. I was going to have it be Hinagiku so Mai could fulfill the Asuna role of leading the charge, but Hinagiku, among other things, had to be there for Kajirô to really show himself, so I decided that Mai and Momo teaming up made the most sense. After all, the real reasons why Asuna had to be there for the trip don't exist in Mai (as you might imagine, Asuna was completely bamboozled by the illusionary Takamichi)._

 _Kôtarô was not originally with the group, but I've brought Kenjirô into their fold much more ahead of schedule…he's been with them regularly since he arrived at the school, while Kôtarô didn't even know about the resort until the middle of the Festival. It just didn't make sense to leave him behind, so he's had the opportunity to show off more of the wisdom he used in caring for Yukari's needs through wit and memory. I think these two moments have finally given me a unique 'voice' for him…a guy who loves fighting, but when he really has to, he can think._

 _The biggest change here is Kazumi, because Kazumi makes the contract that brings in Milleko. Kazumi's artifact will later be used for all sorts of spirits and let her be useful in combat, too, at least to a degree, but Milleko was waiting for this moment. In the original, they had to break the Cassiopeia time machine to go back a week, but using the World Tree's power they did it…however, they really gave no real explanation why it was even possible when before twenty-four hours was the limit, and even when they did go back, they didn't 'change' anything. Milleko is a spirit designed to make this happen._

 _I guess I do have to do a character introduction about Milleko. She originated, like Kamo, for the Magiverse first—while preparing the idea of Season Four, I came up with the pair as 'Karl's comrades from his early years', and the spirits that would allow the heroes to bind the Magiverse together to keep it from collapsing. Kamo, the more MSN spirit, would go to Ryan and co., while Rhonda and the_ Starfarer _crew would get Milleko. That was the true origin for them, and it was later on I decided that Karl's first post-Mandaria adventure would be another MSN universe, and he would encounter Kamo there. I don't have the story in concrete form or even idea yet, just some outlines and thoughts and scenarios in my head, and I've been wrestling with how he originally met Milleko. Like MSK, Karl's adventure is heavily based on MSN with many of the same scenarios (but moderated by a much more mature man as the teacher, who only_ looks _like he's the same age as the students…or he might actually be older, since I haven't made the story concrete yet. All I know for certain is that physically he's still sixteen and his identification for the world insists that this is, indeed, this age). In any case, although I didn't want it to be too much of a rip-off, Milleko made the time-traveling aspect a must. For many reasons I didn't want to have the time-traveler villainess be his descendant, and she doesn't have the same plot…but exists she does. She likely used (and/or was used by) Milleko before the little sprite jumped over to help Karl. Many plots that I still haven't decided on…. The point is that she is experienced at this kind of scenario, and so she's more than willing to help out a mutual friend of Kamo's. And, of course, she's acquainted with Lina Inverse because another version of the sorceress is on board the_ Starfarer _…._

 _Milleko is 'female' (spirits have no gender but identify themselves as one or the other as is their whim) and her vice is sweets. She loves to be fed, and she likes cuddling too (although not for the same perverted reasons Kamo does). She gets on really well with the various females, and like Kamo she prefers cute forms to be in when serving as their companion, although hers tend to be more Pokémon-looking._

 _Also of note in this chapter was Ami's artifact. I've worked long and hard to come up with an appropriate artifact for her. Most of them have been easy so far—Nodoka and Yue had their originals, Mai's would obviously be her rings, and giving Shirozakura to Hinagiku was a no-brainer. Momo's was a bit harder but I came up with a great supplementary tool, and Kagome's was tough, and I wembled over it for a long time before settling on a true artifact that is appropriate for her since I don't ever intend to introduce Sesshomaru. But Ami…I've wembled for some time what to do with her. For a while I thought I'd just give her one of her 'Sailor Moon' wands and let her become Sailor Mercury with it, but that was a little too cheesy. Computers and visors for information purposes factored in, but in the end I couldn't come up with how to use them right in the story. Her original, Haruna, had a really cool scroll that let her manifest anything she could draw, and it was of great use during the story (she made clones of the students to fool the teachers, which I had to replace with Kiami's_ bunshin _—Kiami's mischievous nature made her use them to turn Kenjirô into a harem lord, by the way). But while it was great for a manga artist, it just didn't make sense for Ami…what could I give her?_

 _Finally I decided on a book for her as well, '_ LaVoix de la Poussière, L'Image de l'Avenir _'_ (' _Voice of the Dust, Image of That Which Is to Come_ '), _which would tell, in a novel format, the past for what she wanted, and show the future as well, but only in images. Still, I was having trouble trying to find places to use it…._

 _And then I reached the illusionary episode, where Haruna's artifact was the only offense for the separated party of Chisame, [Haruna] and Nodoka. Since Ami is replacing Haruna, I had to think: how the heck was I going to make an information book serve as a weapon? I could have changed out how the groups split, perhaps take Akari and/or Kiami from the griffin and have them help Ami and Nodoka and Chisame, but the thought of Ami having a bit of a 'I'm cool, too' moment was appealing. Then I decided on a whim to change her artifact yet again, and finally came up with the book '_ La Guerre et La Paix _', meaning 'War and Peace', a joke of an artifact name, of course. It has two sides, an offensive magic and a passive magic, thus the war and peace motif—the Spear of Mercury is an offensive weapon that allows her to use her Sailor Moon-based attacks. That wasn't a bad thought, I finally decided—after all, even if it's weird to turn her into Sailor Mercury, giving her Sailor Mercury abilities was a nice throwback and homage to her. It also lets her occasionally show off and be cool, as she did here. The second part is the Eye of Iris (another messenger to the Greek gods, like Hermes/Mercury—specifically, their messenger to humanity, usually), a visor (similar to the one she sported at various points in Sailor Moon) that allows her to analyze things, thus giving her the analysis/information agent role she had in her origin, since that fits her. The book itself retains the information she scans so it can be reviewed later, but, naturally, that 'peace' function cannot be operated while she is in 'war' mode with the Spear._

 _The other nice twist about using Ami this way was that it allowed the three-pronged scenario for disrupting the illusion. Although I wanted fake Takamichi to interact with Lina too, I didn't want to steal the thunder Yue generated here, so I had her off with Akari, Kiami, and Kagome, fighting the griffin (originally, a hippogriff, but oh well) while Ami helped fight off the Cerberus (I don't know what Nodoka was talking about—I took her rant on it from the original, but from what I've read Cerberus is quite famous for having the mane of snakes). Originally, Yue is the only one who realizes that it must all be illusion, and she actually casts the spell that shatters it (interestingly, she puts her hand on Asuna's sword when she does it, suggesting she uses Asuna's power of anti-magic [magic cancel] to perform the rite). I stole that thunder, because Lina wasn't just going to sit there and let an apprentice nobody mage save her, and it was appropriate anyway—especially the part where the three of them get to all confirm their realizations together. Those kinds of scenarios are cool—and common (perhaps cliché). Also, even though Yue was originally relying on Asuna's power, and Mai isn't here, it was fine, since I gave Shirozakura nearly the same level of anti-magic power to find the answer to this._

 _Whew! So much has happened! So much is crazy! But now it's time to go onward! Back to…the past!_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Chapter Three: Dreamer of Dreams, Act Three: Ever Dream

"Time is a resource, a dimension, and more," Milleko explained. "Traveling through time is a dangerous and complicated process. Time works differently in different worlds, different dimensions, different realities, different planes of existence…and so does how to traverse it. The rules of this world are rigid and harsh with time—traveling one direction, forward, is not so difficult to manage, but going backwards is much more difficult…as the mages of this world could tell you, essentially impossible. The Time of this world solves all the problems with time travel by imposing laws that prevent that travel into the past. But the Soul Reaper behind this has the power to supersede those laws.

"However, even in the cases of those who possess such extraordinary powers over time and space, Time imposes agreements and rules on those who use them under her domain, whether they are aware of these concords or not, whether they are agreeable to them or not. The power Sakura used to enable you to time travel fell under the rule of a united timeline—where Time itself already conceives and adjusts reality to account for your many time travels. This allows you to go back in time and visit multiple places at once, and ensures that paradox is accounted for. You can't change the past at all—a serious drawback in the minds of some. Once that rule was set for her power, that was the limit of it.

"Which is one of the reasons why this plot was so diabolical of her—by pre-arranging the flow of time to this paradigm, it severely restricts your ability to counter her. And now that she's sent you forward a week into the future, the idea would be that even if you could go back, nothing would make any difference….

"Therefore, in order to go back and stop her, you require a power over time and space equal to hers, to make a new contract. And, since you are overwriting laws of reality that have already been established, it will require a lot of power…even with my help."

Kain considered the little creature carefully. "So, you're saying it's possible to go back and change all this…but…what will happen to this world?"

"Kain- _sensei_?" Mai asked, perplexed. "What are you saying…?"

Milleko giggled. "Yes, as expected…too much thinking, too many morals."

"What's this about, Kain- _sensei_?" Hinagiku demanded.

Kain sighed. "Is it really all right to go back and…change what's happened? I mean, I've only briefly studied dimensional theory, but, if we do this, there are two trains of thought…either we'll leave this world as it is and our interference will create a new reality that we'll continue to live in, or our new reality will overwrite this one, causing it to cease to exist…."

Mai hit Kain again. "Enough of that! I don't know about 'too many morals', but Milleko- _chan_ was right about you thinking too much. I…I know I'm not smart enough to even start trying to figure any of this stuff out, but what I do know is that we can't let things be. Right?"

Kain glanced up at here and then smiled. "You're right. I'm thinking too much." He turned back to the spirit. "All right, Milleko. I'm ready. Let's get this over with."

"Good. Okay, let's begin. Bring forth the Chrono Trigger. We'll use the last of its power. Place it in the center of this table, next to me. Now everyone circle around…grasp hands…except you, Kain—you stand before this altar…."

They complied. "Now, Kain, if you're going to take responsibility for this spell, please repeat after me…."

Power began to build as Milleko rose into the air, and the Chrono Trigger rose with her, separating into its two halves. "By the contract of Lady Time and Lord Space, I hereby mark this world as my territory. My will is its spirit and my life is its form. Let us return again to a new place, return to a new world, return to a new home. Bind us by this enduring contract."

Kain repeated the command. Magic began to course out of him. He gasped at its sheer volume, but fought to maintain the link, the flow. He pulled out his staff from his cloak, removed a gem that pulsed with energy, and still it didn't seem to be enough. He began to draw even the power from his contracts….

And then it was enough. There was an explosion of power, and they all vanished….

8-8-8

Mahora Festival, final day: 8:30 AM.

High above the grounds, there was a flash of light and power…and thirteen (plus two) forms appeared in the air.

"Puah!" Chisame gasped. "W-what happened!? Did it work!?"

Kain convulsed slightly, gasping out himself. "Kain- _sensei_ , are you all right!?" Kagome asked.

And then the last traces of the spell's power trickled away and they realized where they were. Suddenly Hinagiku wasn't the only one afraid of their sudden height.

"W-w-why are we in the sky?" Akari asked, almost calmly.

"Like I know…!"

"We're falling!"

"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!"

Still they continued to fall. The thought that a few among them could evade this fate didn't provide any comfort to the rest.

"Y-you can't heal us if we go splat, I guess!?" Chisame demanded of Kagome.

"T-t-t-that's probably a tall order…."

"Here's the ground!"

"How amusing," Kamo finally chortled. "This one's on me, _minna_."

There was a huge explosion of air, and they slowed to a feather drift the last few feet as they lit upon a rooftop café ground.

"W-we're saved…?"

"Thanks Kamo- _kun_!"

Chisame rushed to the balcony edge. "Look!" she cried, not even concealing her delight. "It's the parade!"

Ami perked up. "That means…."

"We're back!"

"It's a success!"

"All right!"

"No doubt about it," Chisame continued, examining her laptop with her more usual calm…or at least, lack of enthusiasm. "It's the final day, half past eight."

"A time jump of over a week, huh…?" Yue mused.

"B-but why did we end up in the sky!?" Hinagiku demanded. "Sometimes I think God is just playing a joke on me…."

"Hehe…sorry about that," Milleko giggled. "That wasn't on purpose. Trying to take everyone back to a proper _when_ , I wasn't quite able to pick a safe _where_."

"Well, in any case, we can now stop Sakura- _chan_ …" Momo began.

And then Kain suddenly collapsed. Everyone turned to him in shock. "Kain- _sensei_!"

8-8-8

They lay Kain down on a couch inside the dark halls of the middle school's library. "I don't think anyone should come in here during the School Festival," Kazumi explained. "All the library events are taking place over at the Library Island, and there aren't any clubs using this place either."

Nodoka closed the doors and locked them, just to be sure. "I-is Kain- _sensei_ …?"

"He's just used too much magic," Milleko explained. "Like I said, even with my power making it possible, this level of time travel takes a _lot_ of power. But he should be back normal in a few hours or so."

Kain glanced over at his students through half-closed eyes. "S-sorry about this…at such an important time, and I'm…."

"It's okay…just rest," Mai insisted, spreading a blanket over him. "Sakura- _san_ won't be moving until the evening, right? This'll suit us just fine."

"It's awful convenient," Kenjirô muttered. "I mean, I thought we might be able to return by using a series of small jumps, but somehow we made it back in one day…." He glanced over at the newcomer spirit. "I guess that's thanks to your power…."

Milleko giggled again. "Of course it is. That's what I'm here for. This entire situation is so interesting, after all…I just had to come here. I was just waiting for the invitation, and for the opportunity…both came, and so here I am. Not only is the hero of this story special, but the villain is also most interesting…especially _because_ of who she is."

Kamo regarded her carefully. "What are you talking about, Milleko? Do you know Sanada Sakura?"

Milleko turned to him in surprise. "Sanada Sakura? Didn't you know, Kamo? Didn't you realize? I see…she's using an alias, but she's hardly Sanada Sakura…she is something much different….

"But, in any case, this is where my part ends. I'll watch the conclusion with interest!" And, despite Kamo's sudden protests, she faded away, leaving only a final salutation: "Call on me again anytime, Kazumi- _chan_!"

8-8-8

Sakura stared out over the festive school grounds as she considered the situation. "So he made it back after all," she muttered. "Bittersweet pleasure! That means he's taken a step forward…or his friends did it for him…but in any case, he's so much closer to the goal…I wonder if he'll make it in time…?" She sighed. "It's definitely for the best. As much as I don't want to fight him, this will give him the best growth…."

"Gardening, now, Sakura? This is an odd place to do it…."

Sakura started and turned around to look at the man who suddenly addressed her. "Minoru- _kun_! What are you…how did you get here?"

"How do you think? Besides you, there's only one other _shinigami_ in our Soul Society with the power over time and space."

She stared for a second and then lowered her gaze sadly. "I see. Father's sent you to fetch me, has he?"

"Oh no, not at all," Minoru denied. "Your lieutenant is simply overreacting. You're over an hour late to your meeting with her, and you know how she gets."

"An hour? Have I been gone that long? Well, I've never stayed this long before…."

"Yes, an hour. And did you really leave right before your meeting, on some wild whim? And now you've stayed…just how long has it been for you, exactly?"

"Oh…over two years…."

"Two years, I see…two years!?" Minoru stared at her in shock. "That's…you've never spent more than a few days before…that's impossible…." He shook his head. "Well, I guess I should ask: why? What could prompt you to even try staying in this world this long?"

"Someone…someone interesting," she replied.

"Oh? A boyfriend?"

"Don't be silly! It wouldn't be appropriate, for _many_ reasons. Too many to count. But…I guess I'm almost working like a strict older sister, trying to raise him…."

Minoru considered her carefully. As whimsical and adventurous as she tended to be, she generally threw herself into epic tales, especially those of the stories her father loved to tell, acting the part of a hero seeking to vanquish a great evil. Now, her speech suggested she was acting more like a kind of scientist….

"You haven't changed since the first time you showed me your _Bankai_ ," he mused. "Without much thought or planning, you took me back so that we could help stop the execution of Rukia- _san_. You loved doing heroic things. What are you up to now?"

"Just looking farther ahead…and making myself a stone in the path of another hero. Will it cause him to stumble, or will he use it as a stepping stone? I don't have much time left…I can tell that this is about the limit of my power. Or are you here to take me back already?"

Minoru shrugged. "Not much time left…would probably be just a few minutes more back home, even if it's another day or so. Your excursions were never long, not by our reckoning of time. Yes…an hour, two years, that sounds about right…do you expect me to help you out?"

"Oh no," she giggled. "My poor victim will have enough trouble with _one_ captain-class _shinigami_ , never mind two. If you're going to stick around, you can merely observe. I think…you'll understand…."

8-8-8

"In any case," Kamo declared, "we're back at the final day, and we have until evening before Sakura- _chan_ 's plan really begins. Let's think of an operation to stop her plan! All right, everyone!?"

"Yeah!"

Mai was calmer, however. "…That's what everybody's saying, but…what are we supposed to do, anyway?"

"Let's organize the information we have right now that was gathered by Kain and the rest of the mages here," Kamo began. "First of all: at 7 PM tonight, Sakura- _chan_ is planning to occupy and utilize the six 'magic concentration points' around the World Tree—the same places of power that the mages here have marked as 'no-confession zones'. Her attack will consist of approximately 2,500 'Tanaka' robots, about 100 heavy weapons platforms, and in addition six giant weapon machines which are to interact directly with the concentration points. This will create a magic circle with a diameter of 3 kilometers, which she will then activate to cast a 'forced recognition' spell on the entire world."

"T-twenty-five hundred?" Mai mused in shock.

"Th-that is a lot," Momo agreed.

"Can we even win against an army like that?" Ami asked. "It overcame all the teachers here, after all…can just our little group make that much of a difference?"

"It's tough, to be sure," Kamo smirked. "But I've got a surefire plan for this situation—a 'point-defense plan', you could say. She needs all six points in order to cast the spell. As long as we can hold even one of them, victory is ours. Also remember that we've got several hours to prepare this…something the mages at the academy didn't have, originally.

"In any case, that's just a defensive plan, to be sure. We can't hold them off forever, so we need an offensive plan to help us fight back…otherwise, even our powerful party here won't make grand difference against the army…to you, Yuecchi."

"Yes," Yue replied, her book before her. "The 'forced recognition' spell is a SS-class level magic ceremony, requiring a full ten-minute incantation that must be cast in a wide-open area…it can't be done underground, or even inside a building. There are no substitutions for it, like machines or anything that could cast the spell in your place…it's similar to the magic ceremony the villains in Kyoto were using to call on Kagome- _san_ 's power. I would imagine…the spell-user is Sakura- _san_ …."

"No, I don't think so," Momo insisted. "Regardless of her ability to 'defy laws', she couldn't cast such a large-scale mage spell, with _reiatsu_ or mana or anything else. I think…she might be able to assist it in some way…but I imagine it must be a natural mage doing it for her…probably Caria- _san_."

Yue shrugged. "I suppose that makes sense. In any case, it means the spell user must be on a roof or some other wide-open space somewhere inside a 1.5 kilometer radius of the tree, within ten minutes of the spell's activation, which would almost have to be at the moment of the tree's point of full power."

"And that's our perfect chance!" Kamo declared. "To put it all together, this is our plan: as long as we're holding at least one magic concentration point, the spell won't activate. Sakura- _chan_ , since she can't cast the spell, will likely be running interference, trying to clean up resistance and problems…the testimonies of the teachers from next week seem to confirm that. So, while Team A is defending the points, Team B will locate and capture Sakura- _chan_ , and that'll mean our victory."

He proudly stared at the group, who considered his basic strategy. "It's not a bad strategy," Momo admitted. "It might be our only chance…she seems to be some sort of captain-class _shinigami_ , so I'm not sure just how well we'll be able to capture her, but…."

"At least finding her won't be a problem," Kiami admitted. "If she isn't casting the spell, we'll draw her out easily if we're offering enough resistance that she's forced to take action herself…."

"T-that's right, Kamo," Kain offered suddenly, forcing himself to sit up. "But you're right…we might be lacking firepower…but I've got an idea for that, too…."

"Kain- _sensei_!?"

They listened with rapt attention as he explained his idea.

Kamo burst into laughter. "Are you serious, kid? That's…pretty good…."

"This sounds…incredibly interesting," Kiami mused. "This would be a lot of fun…."

"It's certainly bold," Momo admitted.

"I see…Sakura- _san_ probably wouldn't expect something like that," Kenjirô noted. "But is it even possible to pull off?"

"Each year the twelve families trade off the roles of sponsor and main organizer of the event, and this year the two families are the Klein family and the Sendô family. I'm certain we can rely on Rakasu- _san_ …and Kaya- _san_ too…."

"Yes, that's true," Hinagiku agreed. "And if it's them, maybe we can rely on them…."

"I'm a little surprised, though," Mai teased the young man. "For a plan like this to come out of _your_ mouth…."

"Y-yes, Mai…but…will you resent me for planning something like this? After all, dragging so many normal people into this…."

"… _Baka_ ," Mai scolded him with a smile. "Of course I won't resent you."

"Thank you. I still can't expect to go anywhere in my shape…can I count on you to talk to Rakasu- _san_? Hinagiku, I think you'd be best at explaining the situation to Kaya- _san_. Kagome, Kamo…could you talk to the principal? And Nodoka and the others, see if you can spread some announcement ads."

Hinagiku sighed, but she and the others all agreed to fulfill their roles. Kain finally turned to Chisame. "Hasegawa- _san_ …can I ask you to handle matters on the internet?"

Chisame scowled, then sighed. "Ah, ah…I get it already. I'll do it."

"Hey, Chiucchi," Kamo called to her. "I'm just saying, but…why not pop a quick one with Kain right here? You might get something internet-related that will really let you fight back against Sakura- _chan_ 's plan…I heard you even offered before…."

"Shut it, small animal!" she barked.

Kain cast his gaze over the group. "Now then, I'm counting on all of you. The future of our world is counting on this operation, after all."

"Right!"

And then he collapsed back on the sofa again.

" _Baka_ , that's why you shouldn't push yourself so much!" Hinagiku said, taking her turn to scold Kain.

"S-sorry…."

"And stop apologizing so much! Anyway, we'll get everything prepared! You just rest up properly!"

"Leave it to us, Kain- _sensei_ ," Kagome assured him.

"T-thank you, everyone…."

8-8-8

"Leave everything to us," Hinagiku muttered, Akari trailing her. "Well, we'll do our best, but I don't relish my part…having to go over Erika and ask her mother for help…."

"Erika- _fukukaichô_ 's declared herself for Sakura- _chan_ ," Akari noted. "Maybe that will be enough reason for her mother to get involved…."

"Yes…maybe…but I hate to do it that way…after all, if she uses this little rebellion as an excuse to punish her…."

"Maybe it's for the best. I love Erika- _fukukaichô_ , but…I think this trouble between her and her mother might be the root of this problem. Maybe she needs to try to trust us more…."

"Hinagiku- _san_? Funny seeing you here."

Hinagiku turned. "Kaji- _kun_ …good morning…." Then she stopped suddenly. "Kaji- _kun_ …you're a member of the twelve families, right? Can I ask you for a favor?"

Kajirô stared at the girl in surprise for a few moments. Then he nodded. "I'll do anything I can, Hinagiku- _san_. What do you need?"

8-8-8

Rakasu was finally taking her turn in the class' diner. "Change the event?" she asked in surprise. "Right now?"

"That sounds _really_ interesting," Kaoru said.

"Sounds like fun," Risa agreed.

"I know it's a tall order," Mai said. "But we really need to get it done…this is a request from Kain- _sensei_ , to the twelve families."

"Well, it's certainly difficult," Rakasu mused. "But if it's a request from Kain- _sensei_ …it must be important, right?" She raised her gaze and met Mai's eyes. Communication was passed via their gazes that the ignorant class members present missed.

Rakasu rose suddenly and started for the door. "I'm sorry, everyone, but I have work to do now. I should first go talk to Kaya- _sama_ about this…."

8-8-8

"What!?" the principal barked. "Is this true!?"

"It's all true," Momo assured him.

"Believe us, Grandpa!" Kagome pleaded.

"What do you think?" the principal asked Meia.

"It certainly sounds hard to believe…but if Kagome and Hinamori are so adamant about it, I would not dismiss it. We'll look over the situation on the internet again."

The principal began to chuckle. "But if it is true, that Sakura girl sure has backbone…well, well…."

"This is no laughing matter, Mr. Principal…."

"Very well, Hinamori- _kun_ ," the man said. "Your report is understood. You too, Kagome. You can leave everything to us now. Don't worry about anything else and enjoy the Festival."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Kamo chided cheerfully. "You just don't get it, old man. History has already proven that it's no good leaving things to you guys. On the contrary, _you_ leave things to _us_. If you want to do something, then be useful and get us these supplies."

He handed a paper over to Kensuke, who took it and looked it over. "…What? But, such special magical equipment is…how did you even know about this?"

Kamo chuckled evilly. "I've got my own sources of intelligence, as well. This should all be stashed in the 17th Storage Warehouse of the United Magic Border Knights back in the 'other country'. If you ship them here by air using translocation magic, they should be able to make it here by the evening. And, of course, we know you have enough power to negotiate with the big shots in the 'other country', too….

"At the very least, I want 1,000 sets of this equipment, and if possible, 2,500 sets. It's a small price to pay…compared to magic being exposed to the entire world, wouldn't you say?"

8-8-8

"This is a pretty outrageous plan for someone like you to come up with, _Sensei_ ," Chisame noted. While Yue, Nodoka, Kazumi and Ami prepared fliers and information brochures on a nearby table with Kiami looking on, Kain lay on the couch and Chisame sat at a nearby table, investigating the internet with her computer.

"We…can't be careless anymore," Kain explained. "Knowing Sakura- _san_ , knowing her power, we can't even assume she doesn't know we haven't returned. She'll be after us. If that's the case, we can't win unless we have a plan that will…shock even her. And I already know…I can't defeat her on my own…."

"…That's true…."

"But, I wonder…if this is the right thing to do…dragging so many normal people into this…you could say I'm no different than Sakura- _san_ now…and just fighting power with power. Besides that, I'm still not sure whether Sakura- _san_ is actually in the wrong…."

"What!? Are you still worried about that, _Sensei_!? Even while planning out a grand plan like this? So what if it's power against power! If any idiots don't get it, I'll just beat it into them until they understand! That's the truth of the world! Do you have a problem with that!?"

Chisame's outburst had attracted attention from the other table, and Yue wandered over curiously as Chisame continued. "The leader shouldn't be wavering at a time like this! If you're a man, just make up your mind and go with it!"

"Maybe…b-but I feel I should at least try to reason with her once again…find out what she's really after…."

"You idiot!"

Yue piped up. "…When someone with a conflicting belief or ideology resorts to the use of power to enforce their view, there is already no room left for anything like reason. As distasteful as it is, the only way to respond is with power of your own, or a negotiation with power as a support, and that's the truth of this world."

Yue smiled before continuing. "But I don't believe that it's wrong to worry about this, either. The minute you believe that you are completely in the right, perfectly without fault in your reasoning, all your avenues of understanding become shut. But at the very least, I don't think you're wrong, Kain- _sensei_."

8-8-8

Hinagiku, Kajirô and Akari knelt before the childlike form of Kaya Sendô. She listened with interested attention to the outlandish request presented to her, and actually chuckled. "Well, well…what a truly outrageous request. How bold of you, Hinagiku- _chan_ , to make such a demand of me, especially after how we parted ways the last time. And Kain, too, making such a request…tell me, if this is all true, why didn't you come here with Erika? Why did you bring another member of the twelve families to be your sponsor for this request?"

Hinagiku hesitated. "I…t-that is…."

"That Sakura was always an interesting girl…I wondered what she was doing to my school. She was always friendly to Erika, too…I wondered if _she_ might work as a Servant for her. In any case, she's seduced Erika to her side, hasn't she? Poor, foolish little girl, thinking that this future Sakura strives to create can change her fate…."

Hinagiku gritted her teeth in frustration as Kaya droned on. _('I can't afford any outbursts now…for Kain-_ sensei _'s sake, and for Erika's….')_

Kaya laughed. "Very well, then. I certainly don't like this girl doing as she pleases with my school. Its time she learned her place. And more than that, I have enough annoyances with the mages inspecting my every move. Having ordinary people find out about magic could very well depopulate my little pasture here. I will give my support to this little plan of Kain's. Since you invoked your family name to get this audience, Tsukai- _kun_ , I will require the debt for my help from you at a later time.You may go."

Trying not to seem too eager to leave, the three young teenagers rose, bowed, and headed out the door. After it had closed behind them, Rei stepped out of the shadows. "Kaya- _sama_ …Rakasu Klein has sent you a message…."

"It's about this great scheme of Kain Lockeheart's. Go reply, and tell her that we will do our part to support it. Oh, and Rei…go ahead and participate."

Rei turned back and fixed her robotic stare on her master. "Kaya- _sama_?"

"You wandered around with Kain yesterday, helping him out after that amusing little tournament. I know you'd like to continue helping him, wouldn't you? Feel free. Do as you like."

Rei stared at her for a moment, then bowed and departed.

Hinagiku, Kajirô and Akari hurried out the gates, past the bemused expression of Iori and his assistant. "I'm sorry about that," Hinagiku muttered. "It seems I've cost you dearly…who knows what Kaya- _san_ will demand of your family as payment…."

"It's nothing," Kajirô replied quietly. "I'm happy to do it. I'm glad that I can finally be of some use, even more so that my name can be of some use, especially to my friends…."

Hinagiku snorted. "Yes…I've been wanting to talk to you about that, Kaji- _kun_. Why are you so convinced you're of no use to us…?"

"I-I'm just not…a worthy heir to such an illustrious family of mages. I don't have…much strength, either in body, in will, or in magic…."

"Liar. You already helped us quite a bit earlier."

Kajirô blinked at her. "Pardon?"

"Of course, that was the future, so naturally you wouldn't remember it." She sighed. "Oh, how can I be involved in such a nonsensical situation? In any case, you have a few things to answer for while I've got you here. You lied to me, Kaji- _kun_ …."

"W-what? About…being part of the magical realm? I already explained that…."

"No, not about that. About your magic sword. You refused to join my _Kendo_ Club, even when we needed members, saying that you just weren't cut out for it. Yet I've seen you wield a very powerful magic sword…you'd do fine in the _Kendo_ Club. How could you tell me you didn't have any talent for it…?"

Kajirô blanched. "W-well…you see…it's just…." He sighed. "The truth is…Hinagiku- _san_ …that sword _is_ all my magical talent. I can't use it recklessly, or freely…that incident yesterday with Sanada- _san_ 's robot army…that was the first time I've ever really used my full powers…and…I liked it that way, never using them. I…don't want to be reminded about that part of me. My brother…had all sorts of amazing talents and abilities, and he was…a real hero…but me…all of my magic power is bound in a sword. A tool of war. A weapon meant for killing. I don't…like to fight or hurt people…I don't want to involve myself in something that makes use of that part of me…I don't want to be a bloodthirsty fighting fool…."

"Oh…Kaji- _kun_ …are you suggesting that all _kendo_ practitioners are bloodthirsty fighting fools…?"

"N-no! It's just…I mean…I feel like, if I let myself be involved in that, I'd…become like that…it would be my fate….

"And so…I wanted to just live…a normal life and, from afar, watch…."

He trailed off suddenly. "Watch what?" Hinagiku demanded when he didn't continue.

"N-nothing. I'm sorry, Hinagiku- _san_. I never wanted to lie to you…about anything…but…it's just not something that I can participate in."

Hinagiku sniffed. "Well, that's fine then. You only needed to say that you weren't comfortable with it, not make up excuses…I never would have held it against you or anything. I'll forgive you.

"And…." She flushed a little and turned away slightly. "I really owe you…for today…so if there's ever anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask me, whatever the favor is."

"Anything? Whatever favor?" Kajirô asked, bemused. "A dangerous thing to promise me, Hinagiku- _san_ …."

"Just what are you thinking about, Kaji- _kun_?" Hinagiku demanded suspiciously.

"Nothing. Shall we go check on Kain- _sensei_? I'd like to meet with him myself about all of this…."

"Sure…they've got him in the library…."

Akari watched as the two bantered. She smiled slightly. What an interesting pair they made….

8-8-8

"Attention! Attention!"

Kain's class had been employed to spread the prepared announcements and, dressed in their various cosplay outfits Chisame had long ago made for them, they did indeed attract attention.

"We have an announcement about the School Festival's Final Day Event!"

Two middle school boys discussed the sudden ruckus. "An announcement about it now?" the first said.

"Didn't they already tell us it was going to be hide-and-seek? Since last year's tag tournament got too crazy?"

"Here you go!" Kanade declared cheerfully, handing them a pamphlet.

"Oh, thank you…now, let's see…uh…."

The two boys and thousands more visitors were soon looking over the described contest: a strange battle of mages against alien invaders.

"It looks fun!" declared Boy A as they leafed through the sheet. "A survival shooting game? Against robots…it could only be better if it was zombies, you know?"

"They really changed it up…I'm not too surprised…it would certainly be boring if the entire school played hide-and-seek…."

"Please join the event!" Kaoru encouraged them as she passed by.

The pair stared after her. "Well, I-I think I'm definitely joining!"

"What? You are? Well, I guess I'll enter too!"

Rakasu was standing on a small stage that had been erected in the plaza in front of the World Tree. Clad in an exotic magical princess dress, she gave the official announcement involving Kain's anti-Sakura Plan—no, the change in events….

"As stated in the fliers and pamphlets, this is our new Final Day Event! We await your participation! We will now present to you a live demonstration. This is the equipment that we will give out to those who join the Magic Knight Brigade!"

Several more of the classmates were presented as samples as Rakasu gave the announcement. "These robes and cloaks come in many different styles, so you can choose your preferred look! They also function as safety devices for this event, so, in order to participate, you must have them on!

"This is your weapon! A mage's wand! Do not be fooled by its cute appearance…one simple incantation and you will witness…."

" _Strike the enemy!_ " intoned Izumi, Riza, and Miki, and their wands spat out bright streaks of light that flashed across the sky for some ways before dissipating. The crowd _ooohed_ at the effect.

"This light does not harm any human in any way! And for those with different tastes, the weapons can also come in these forms: handguns, rifles, even bazookas!"

"Ho…this is getting interesting," Nanami murmured to herself, recording the demonstration on film.

"Shouldn't you report this to Sakura- _san_?"

Nanami laughed. "Why should I do that? It's not like I'm her ally or anything. She hired me to be the announcer for her tournament yesterday, and that's all…our contract ended once it was over….eh, wait…."

She turned to look at the person with whom she had been absentmindedly speaking. Mai gave her a leering grin. "So, you're _not_ Sakura- _san_ 's ally? That's good to hear. We'd hate to think that _you_ had betrayed us, Nanami- _san_ …."

"Eh…Mai- _chan_ …I-I can explain all this…."

"No, there's no need. It's obvious you've always been out for your own interests…you were never our dedicated ally to begin with. However…."

Mai put a hand on Nanami's shoulder and looked up into her face with a serious expression. "Right now, you can't afford to be a neutral party when you know so much. Either you're helping Sakura- _san_ in her plot, which will result in Kain- _sensei_ being taken away from us forever and much worse besides…or you're going to help us stop her…understand…?"

"W-when you put it that way, it's probably for the best…I guess I can agree that, if anyone should blow the whistle on magic, it should be me, anyway, or I don't get any benefit from it…."

"Oh…?" Mai looked at her again. "So Sakura- _san_ must have explained _everything_ to you already. Good. So, let me tell you what's going to happen here…."

"Urk…."

8-8-8

Ami leaned back and sighed. "And that's done…it's all arranged, and it's attracting all the right kind of attention…."

"Thank you for your hard work!" Nodoka cheered.

"Don't relax too much," Chisame chided them.

"The real battle is only starting," Kiami agreed. "But well done, nonetheless…."

Kain stirred, shivered, and moaned from his bed on the couch, moving slowly but restlessly.

Chisame glanced back at him. "Just when you think he's finally asleep, now he's having a nightmare. Can he really recover like this?"

She took hold of the blanket and pulled it back over the young man. "Jeez…moral dilemmas, the implications and logic behind time travel, teaching a class, disciplining wayward students…all of this is far too much of a burden for a kid our age who's never even had a proper childhood."

"That's true," Ami sighed. "I'm not sure I can even make too much sense of these hard choices…."

Yue silently regarded Kain with concern.

8-8-8

"Forced recognition magic over the entire world…is such a thing even possible?"

"We've severely underestimated Sakura- _san_. Where did you receive this information, Principal?"

The majority of the Magic Council of Mahora—the principal, many teachers, and many students—all were gathered to hear the announcement and preparations for defense and counterattack.

"The information source is irrelevant," the principal announced. "We must put a stop to this plan no matter what. Regarding our stratagem…it is certainly a difficult task to combat over 2,000 enemies with the public watching, so the plan is to involve them in the battle, persuading them that this is simply another extravagant event of our school. Still, it's a pretty desperate throw. Plan for plenty of safety measures…after all, these are our students."

"It's true that our students really do love these sorts of events…."

"Many of them are pretty capable, too. They might actually make an effective combat force…."

"Yes…but what about these 'Giant Lifeform Weapons'?"

Meia stood forward and read from her report. "It appears that they are MagiTech weapons produced by Sanada Sakura, probably with the aid of Caria Spetzer and the Robotic Development Society. They are presumably going to be animated by some of the higher-class demons spirits sealed underneath the school…somehow, Sanada Sakura has the power to control them so that she can complete this process. It is likely they will be used as amplifiers for the magic circle she's building. If these weapons appear, we should have the students stand down."

"But how will it work? High-class demonic spirits should be unable to operate within the school's barrier…."

"It doesn't matter," the principal declared. "To have been able to construct and prepare a plan of this magnitude, we cannot underestimate Sakura- _kun_ 's power. Support from the home country probably won't make it here in time either. Keep this in your mind: if we can't stop Sakura- _kun_ 's plan, the world will be changed. Everyone, put your full effort into this operation!"

" _Hai_!"

8-8-8

Rumors of the new event began to circle around the school.

"Hey, did you hear about the Final Day Event?"

"Yeah! Looks like it's turning into some super-expensive, super-fancy event."

"They say you'll be able to use items that were used during yesterday's Mahora True Battle Tournament."

"Heh! Then that means the tournament was a staged show after all, huh…?"

"It looks like it might also be the stage for the filming of a big movie…."

"They say there's a participation limit…due to the limited number of items…."

"Ah! We better hurry and sign up, then!"

Gathered in their groups of five, fifteen masters considered the upcoming event. "Hoho…quite a delightful game for the youth to play! Participating in a heroic endeavor like this!"

"I wonder about this," Kaiji Natsumi mused. "Is this just a game? They're linking it to the tournament yesterday, suggesting that these 'toys' were used there…and if they're claiming those grand battles are fake, just like this event, that makes it suspicious…!"

"Perhaps it would be interesting to check it out ourselves," Kim Ban Yong averred. "This sounds like it could be a game worth playing…."

"Do you ladies and gentlemen have an interest in the event?" asked Meia, suddenly appearing. "We have room for a few special support characters, 'hero-class' fighters, to help us out…."

As Meia led them away, the crowds were gathering around the special rules committee's table—the special rules committee consisting mostly of Kain's students, who had been gathered into it.

"A maximum of two handheld weapons per person!" Kanade announced. "We recommend the sniper rifle type. Each weapon has different amounts of ammunition, so choose carefully! If you run out of ammo, return to the center of the defense checkpoints and chant this spell at the center."

"This is really fun!" Izumi cheered. "This is way more fun than a birthday party!"

"It some ways it _is_ a shame that we can't celebrate your birthday properly," Miki said, "but this is a consolation…."

"This is pretty awesome!" Riza enthused, brandishing an assault rifle. "Hey, hey, can we test-fire these?"

Kanade turned to glance at Hinagiku, who nodded.

"They say it's all right to test-fire them!"

"All right!"

"If we're going to do it, we might as well do it together!"

"One, two…STRIKE THE ENEMY!"

The splurge of streaks of light that rained into the air created an impressive display of fireworks. Sakura chuckled as she looked on the scene. "They're really getting into it," she mused. "Kain has found an interesting way of fighting me. This is going to be fun to see…it looks like it's going to be worth all the effort after all…."

"They're a pretty enthusiastic bunch," Minoru murmured. "I get the feeling I'd hate to see them march against the Soul Society in that army…." He turned around and faded away as Caria appeared on the scene and approached her co-conspirator.

"Um, Sakura…should we really allow them to be doing this? Won't this cause a big problem if we let it go on? I mean…maybe we should get started early…."

"Our timing is very critical," Sakura reminded her. "We have to have all six points controlled at the specific time period, when the tree reaches absolute peak power and vents itself at the ultimate level. If we get started too early, it'll take too much energy for me to fight off the enemy for so long." She giggled. "Besides, this will be fun. It's so much more interesting this way." She gazed out over the groups. "I just hope Kain will be able to come participate in the game himself…otherwise, coming back to stop us has no meaning at all…."

8-8-8

"Hoho…they're really getting worked up," Kamo chuckled, observing the enthusiastic fireworks.

"Well, whatever," Mai mused, flushing. "But do I really have to be wearing this costume again? Won't I stand out too much? Besides, I'm not sure it's really much of a mage costume…."

The outfit in question was her orange bodysuit she had used previously, during the tournament, and even before that when facing the German _mazoku_. Kamo smirked at her. "Standing out is better, Mai- _chan_ , for several reasons. One, if everyone identifies you from the tournament, it's better that way—it helps diffuse the rumors about the tournament for those who aren't in the know. Two, the more you stand out the harder it is for Sakura- _chan_ to target you specifically. Three, it helps designate you as a 'hero-class', which is part of the excuse we have for our super-powered defenders. And four, it is so a mage costume—in fact, it's modeled after a HiME from Garderobe Academy in Wind Bloom, the warrior-maiden graduates of that prominent Arcanus Myrror magic school. It's a magical girl costume through and through, and, honestly, I think it suits you and your artifact quite well."

"I admit, I really like it too," Nanami agreed. "Of course, if you like we can get you something sexier that will show off your womanly assets more distinctly…."

"Ugh…that might make it worse for our side, actually…I guess I'll stick with this…."

"In any case, it's an amazing strategy Kain- _sensei_ devised," Nanami said. "Using normal people who are unaware of the real situation…both a diversion and a makeshift combat force. It could be considered ruthless, taking a gamble on the fact that the villain won't actually harm the innocent students of the academy, but knowing Sakura- _chan_ as we all do, it might be a safe gamble. Still, even if many of them are quite capable, they're still just ordinary people. Can they really stand up against Sakura- _chan_ 's robot army?"

"If they were using ordinary weapons, that's a definite no," Kamo said with his usual grin. "That magic equipment, however, changes things. Kain thought of it first—he's a history buff, obsessive about demons and how to fight them—you know the reason for that—and his studies of magic have been extremely broad, including enchantment and artifice, the construction of magical items. You may not realize it as he never brags about it, but that sword he wields is his own creation, a weapon he forged with his own hand and enchanted with his own magic. In game terms, it would qualify as at least a +2 +2 fine quality longsword.

"Oh, but I'm getting off topic. He'd heard about these weapons, and Yuecchi's artifact allowed her to find a cache of them that we could bully the principal into giving us. They are anti-magical being weapons, essentially firing a weaponized version of a pentagram spell. It unsummons magical creatures and dispels the spirits out of magical automatons such as golems and most undead. I'm not sure if they were originally invented to fight summoning demons like Alysaser, necromancers, or Elementalists, but since they're effective against all those forces and more, they have been kept in production. They look like ordinary wands, staves, guns and such, but they're highly specialized…and naturally they don't affect humans, just as pentagrams don't…not even mages. And while those are robots, they're MagiTech robots powered by the World Tree and operate very similarly (in their power source and animation, at least) like old-time golems."

"The World Tree's power?" Nanami asked.

"That's right," Kamo said. "It's an interesting triple-edged sword…even Caria- _chan_ 's brilliance couldn't get this many robots working and operating all at once, not without years of time, but the World Tree's power makes it possible…and yet that makes them vulnerable to our weapons, which normally couldn't be used by ordinary people, but the magic of the tree makes them operable by anyone at this time. Therefore, when all's said and done…this will be a very interesting, even battle."

"I see," Nanami mused. "Yes, as long as Sakura- _chan_ refrains from harming innocents, all is well…but…what if she suddenly decides that her plan is worth a few sacrifices?"

"Oh?" Kamo asked. "That's rather strange, considering you just vouched for her good nature. Now you're questioning her?"

"T-that's right," Mai agreed, finally entering the conversation. "I mean…even though everything was difficult in that…future we visited, she wouldn't really try to harm anyone…would she?"

"Probably not," Nanami explained, "but then again, I never thought she'd be an evil villainess in the first place, regardless of her motives. She's as talented, at least, as Hina- _chan_ and Eririn, yet she never tried to surpass them in anything, except academics. She's always been more of a background leader and role-filler. She doesn't lead with anything…to be the orchestrator of such a grand scheme is quite unlike her. And I never would have thought Kain- _sensei_ as being able to come up with a plan that could even begin to put his students in danger. So, back to my question: what if she sheds her disguise as a kind, pacifistic girl and shows a ruthless streak?"

"I've finally figured out who she is," Kamo replied. "It could never happen. Even if she did…it would just show she's no better than that. And I hate to sound callous, but I'd almost prefer it. Demonstrate she's truly evil, cross that line she's hovering on, and Kain would suddenly have no reason to be doubtful or worried about the ethics of the situation. He'd go at her with his full power, attention, and devotion, and, captain-class Soul Reaper or not, I'd hate to be in her shoes facing that kid in that condition. Hell, if it goes that far, _I_ won't stand for it, and I'll get involved. I don't care if she's a _taichô_ or even a _sôtaichô_ ; if she gets out of hand, I do have friends that put any of them to shame…."

"Really?" Mai asked. "You aren't going to summon Kalan somehow, are you?"

"No, not him. I've got one better, but that's absolutely last-ditch for many reasons. In any case, let's finish getting ready…!"

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: The Final Day Event_

 _For those who are wondering, the help Kamo is referring to that he can call upon for last-ditch salvation is his original master (at least as far as I've created stories for the spirit), Karl Frederick Corbin. 'Lord Silver', as I have titled him amongst some of his adventures, is at a pretty high pinnacle of magic. One of his first titles—actually more of a position of magic—that he acquires in his original storyline, the Mandaria chronicle, is 'Master of Magic', which refers to his complete and absolute understanding of and ability to manipulate mana and magic—in GURPS terms, just by his magic power alone he recognizes other mages on sight, can analyze magic items by a simple Thaumatology roll, and can actually default spells, including ones that haven't been properly invented. The term 'Master of Magic' originally comes from the game of the same name, in fact, and some of its themes are even used in this work (for instance, the magical world is Arcanus Myrror—the name of_ both _worlds in the game itself). Kalan himself was pretty much a 'Master of Magic' class mage, and probably is about the equivalent of Karl by the time he finished his Mandarian adventure. However, the Karl Kamo would summon is the man who has left that world and become one of the foremost defenders of good, life, virtue and justice across the many dimensions, and he is now the equivalent of a true 'Master of Magic' in the sense of the game, or, to call forth the idea of another powerful mage type we can compare his power to, an incredibly powerful planeswalker. Karl is someone I've had running around my stories and GURPS campaigns for a good while…besides some of the stories I've mentioned, he appeared briefly during the third season of the Anime Story, then returned to help conclude it (as much as it's been concluded) and set the stage for the fourth season; he was also a character of supreme interest in my Adventurer's Guild campaign._

 _Well, that's enough about a character that was merely alluded to. We are now preparing the Final Day Event. Merging so much of Mahora and Hakuô (from Hayate the Combat Butler) has been beneficial, since they are similarly crazy schools, even though the overall genre of the two works share only 'harem' and 'comedy' (despite the English name given to the series, Hayate is not an action work). Hakuô had six (in)famous 'Traditional Events' which have so far only been partially touched upon, such as the 'Marathon' series of runs. Giving this group of events to Mahora gives rise to explain things like this tournament (and like the tournament, for safety reasons many of the events were noted to have been shut down previously and revived only recently during Hayate's stay there). The Final Day Event is probably big enough to qualify as one of the six as well._

 _There must be some sort of explanation for the reason why so many odd things happen at this school without the threat of magic being exposed, but I guess there actually isn't—after all, it's mostly a comedy manga, and, as I've noted multiple times, most of the types of scenarios that arise are in common between Hayate and Negima. Hayate also has attacking robots, time traveling, strange creatures and ghosts, ghost sweepers, talking tigers, and all sorts of ridiculous (unscientific, according to Hinagiku) other events going on, and yet most people don't believe anything about it if they weren't there at the time. Still, part of me, the scientist part, insists that there be some kind of sense or logic in everything, so I ask myself the senseless philosophical question: did the Mahora mages start to encourage crazy events in order to create an atmosphere of 'do it boldly and it will go unchallenged', or did that attitude just arise naturally and the mages were forced to adopt it? It really doesn't matter, and I'm not sure I can decide an answer for that._

 _In any case, the battle between good and evil(?) begins soon. Science versus magic. Robots versus mages. And, eventually, Kain versus Sakura._


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Chapter Four: Dreamer of Dreams, Act Four: Slaying the Dreamer

"The enemy's target is the World Tree, the symbol of this school. Participants are asked to split into six groups and protect one of the six World Tree Defense Checkpoints, such as the World Tree Plaza and the Saginomiya Shrine South Gate. As usual, the top rankers will receive luxurious rewards! However, if the Defense Checkpoint you're defending becomes occupied by the enemy, it's game over, and all your points go poof as well! Be sure to help your comrades and pay special attention to both offense and defense! Furthermore, it may be dangerous for non-participants to enter the game area…."

"It looks like we're doing well," Momo remarked to Kamo. "It seems 60% of the preparations are complete and we still have over an hour before Sakura- _chan_ starts her operation. We have plenty of time, but…what if Sakura- _chan_ sees our lineup and decides to give up on her plan?"

"Then it's our victory," Kamo said. "More or less. The Final Day Event would turn out to be a let down to the kids, and that would be pretty sad…but at least there'd be no revelation of magic to the world."

"Would she delay the plan as a feint…? Or start early…?

"No and no. She's on a strict time limit, of course—she has to activate the circle when the power discharges from the tree. And as for going early…there's more of a threat there, but she's a bit too theatrical. Just like how she made you visible as a _shinigami_ so everyone could witness you fighting, she'll stick to helping our deception by joining the game. She seems to have…that kind of honor in her…."

"I suppose so…yes, I can see that in her…what about Kain- _sensei_? How's he doing?"

"I don't know. Perhaps you should call him and find out…."

8-8-8

"Kain- _sensei_? He's still sleeping, and he looks like he's in rough shape," Chisame explained. "He ain't ready now and I really don't know if he'll be rested by the time our operation is supposed to start…."

"Well…maybe it's best if we let him sleep, then," Momo mused. "If this operation does what Kain- _sensei_ hopes it will, it should buy us more than enough time. More than anything else, I really think we'll need Kain- _sensei_ at full strength to finally win this…."

8-8-8

The hour approached, and Miki, Izumi, and Riza were gathered with a group of participants at the shores of Mahora Lake.

"You know," Izumi mused, "our defense point is the World Tree Plaza, so why are we at the lake?"

Miki laughed low. "Because there are rumors on the net that the enemy will be coming in from the lake."

"That's right," Riza chortled. "We're gonna wipe them all out and get the reward!"

"Will they really show up here?" Izumi asked. She glanced at her watch. "Well, a few minutes more…."

Suddenly a commotion began. The three stared, along with the rest of the group, out at the lake. "W-what is that!?"

In an instant, it seemed that the calm and placid waters of the lake were suddenly alive as hordes of humanoid forms with wild hair emerged from the water and stalked onto the beach. Spread amongst the masses were large four-legged mechs.

The excited participants, waiting for the start of the event, suddenly found themselves panicking as the enemy rose up before them.

"T-this is…."

"W-wow…they're…impressive…."

Inside the academy's control room, the workers came alert. "A large group of robotic weapons has appeared on the shores of Mahora Lake! T-there's…more than 2,600 units!"

"Hmm," the supervisor mused. "Two minutes early, and with more units than we thought, but otherwise our information was fairly accurate…commence the operation!"

Back at the lake, several of the more daring males started moving forward. "A-all right then, we'll take you on!"

The leading Tanakas opened their mouths and revealed their internal cannons. They powered and fired their weapons as the students stared in shock….

The smoke cleared and a large portion of the audience found themselves disarmed…and disrobed. New kinds of panic and similar emotions overtook the victimized participants, particularly the female portions. Miki and Riza, who had been quick enough on the uptake to escape the blast, stared in awe at Izumi's bare form.

"Holy cow! It's a kind of strip beam!" Riza declared.

"Incredible," Miki agreed. "Izumi celebrates her birthday by appearing in her birthday suit."

"W-wait a second!" Izumi cried in anguish.

"And the all-out war has begun!" crowed Nanami's voice from loudspeakers spread around the school and from airships flying overhead. "The enemy seems to be using a terrible kind of 'strip beam!' Contestants who lose their weapons and robe, since it's dangerous, should leave the game area!"

Meia stood on a rooftop, overlooking the combat that began. She raised a hand to the side of her head and spoke. "There seems to be little danger to normal people at this juncture. The numbers are slightly higher than we originally calculated, but this is within acceptable parameters. Let the operation commence…."

8-8-8

The battle began to rage as robot armies emerged from the lake, from the woods around, and from other places, and began to converge on the contested six points. Sakura and Minoru once again stood next to each other watching the carnage ensue.

"Well...I mean, 'strip beam', really…your father would be horrified that you came up with such an idea…."

"It wasn't mine," Sakura insisted. "Caria came up with that herself. She made some…impressive weaponry, without really trying, but I demanded she come up with some kind of non-lethal weapon, something that wouldn't really hurt anyone…she came up with that."

"Really…I guess it is an incredibly vicious non-lethal weapon...but why two minutes early…?"

"Well, I kept mostly to the agreement, but the villain has to be sneaky somehow, right? Two minutes should be dramatic enough…."

"Things have already become messy!" Nanami announced. "Without waiting for the starting bell, the vicious alien army has begun its attack! The battle has already opened up all around Mahora! Well, are all you mages ready!?"

"So Nanami- _chan_ is the announcer again?" Risa sighed. "She got such a good job…."

"Now…GAME START!"

The enthusiastic honorary mages began their attack. "STRIKE THE ENEMY!" they cried, and their attacks raged against the robots. They cried with delight as they began to fall to their attacks.

"It's working!"

"Keep it up!"

A bunch of enthusiastic young men charged in, guns blazing. "All right! This is amazing! This looks like a real war! We, the Military Research Club, will be taking that prize money!"

A little further away, Miki and Riza had their turns to be victimized by the dreaded strip beam. Make no mistake, other kinds of weapons were also being put to use by the robots, knocking back and stunning their victims, but rumors quickly began to spread about the most terrifying of their weaponry (especially, of course, to the female population), and those that felt its sting suffered much mental anguish.

"Come on you two!" a newly-robed Izumi cheered them on. "They say it's minus 50 points if you get taken out! Hurry and go back to get your robes and weapons replaced!"

"Eh!?" Riza cried in shock. "Why such a big minus!? We have to get them back!"

One man at the lakeshore caused quite a stir. An American with massive, 'tall' red hair, he charged recklessly into battle, blasting away and laughing, spewing strange, unintelligible epithets (and somehow, making his gun work without using the appropriate chant). "Hahahaha! J00 f001z w111 /\/0 pH34r! 1 w111 m4k3 j00 w33p! Ph34r 1337 m4573r Largo!"

The subtitles read: "Hohoho! I will teach you uneducated louts the meaning of the word 'fear'! You will shed many tears of grief! I am the Leet Master Largo!"

Many Tanakas fell before his attack, but several more stepped up and opened fire on him. When the smoke cleared the man was disrobed, but, amazingly, he retained his weapon. "7h15 15 n07 3n0ugh! 1 w111 t4k3 j00 411 w17h0u7 p4n75! Ph34r my 1337 N4k3d 5k111z!"

The subtitles read: "I cannot be stopped that easily! Even in this state, you are no match for me! Behold the power of my Leet Naked Skills!"

"Someone stop that _gaijin_ , or at least get him some pants! You aren't supposed to continue if your clothes are wiped out!"

As Largo continued his rampage—not yet drunken, in fact—his partner-in-crime, the American young man with shaggy blond hair and glasses, sat drinking tea and working on his laptop at a café overlooking the battle, but outside the game area. He considered the chaos. "I could swear I hear Largo causing chaos in there," he muttered. "No doubt he's having lots of fun. Oh, well. Even with his insanity, this little side-trip has been an enjoyable distraction. I didn't want to waste more money on this, but Hayasaka- _san_ insisted I needed this break…."

He glanced somewhat longingly at the distant action. "That almost looks like fun. Cosplaying as mages in a war against robots…it's a crazy idea, but it's impressively well-funded. Ah, well. I'm only good at video games anyway…and in reality, I can't use a female avatar, after all…."

Unfortunately for them, their other American tourist friends, Ed and Dom, were engaged in other business and ended up missing this great adventure. Our apologies.

8-8-8

"I-incredible!" the operator, Nutmeg, breathed in shock. "The commoner battalion has already eliminated almost 200 units of the enemy!"

"As expected of our students…."

"Still, it looks like the enemy's numbers are just too great! Twelve of the enemy's humanoid weapons have broken through the lake's defense line! They're arriving at the defense checkpoint in front of the World Tree Plaza!"

Indeed, the monsters began to approach the group stationed there, which included Risa, Riku, Yukari, Matake, Matake's friend Eita Tanaka, and Tanaka's constant companion, Keisaku Satô.

"Here they come here they come here they come!" Yukari trilled in excitement.

"W-what amazing jumping power!" murmured Risa in awe as the robots leapt into the air and began to come down within their range.

"Okay, here we go!" Matake enthused. "Let's see who can get the most points, eh?"

"I won't go easy on you, Tanaka!" Keisaku insisted.

"That's my line!" Eita replied.

"They're here! Get them!" barked Riku.

"STRIKE THE ENEMY!"

They blew away several of the robots—well, in fact, they merely caused them to fall to the ground, devoid of power, as the anti-magic-spirit blasts destroyed their operating energy—but a few managed to slip through the attack and sent out a blast of its own. The group scattered, and Riku, whirling a staff in her hands, knocked it off-balance and put it down with a powerful shot.

"P-pretty amazing, Riku- _chan_ ," Yukari praised her. "You seem like an expert at this…."

"Eh? N-no…it's just…coming easy, I guess…" she muttered, reddening.

"More are coming!" Matake barked. "These robots don't know when to give up!"

"Who cares!?" shouted Keisaku. "That just means more points for us, right!? Let's go!"

On a roof nearby, Akari and Kamo watched the battle. "Riku- _chan_ is doing pretty well, especially," Akari remarked. "I'm surprised. Lacrosse prepared her for this, perhaps? It seems, since she's using a staff, it at least influenced her weapon choice…."

Kamo chuckled. "Ha! Bring it on however you like! We'll take you!"

He turned back to Mai and Momo. "How are things on your end?"

"No good," Mai sighed, lowering her card. "We can't contact Kain- _sensei_ …maybe because he's still asleep."

"Although it's possible Sakura- _chan_ is working to jam telepathic communications," Momo added.

"I guess there's no choice but to go and fetch him after all," Kamo said. "Our troops are doing well, but there's just too many for us to hold out forever. We have to get Kain up, find Sakura- _chan_ , and stop her directly before we can finish this."

"Right," Mai agreed with a sigh. "Sorry, Akari- _chan_ , but can you go and call Kain- _sensei_ for us?"

"Sure!" Akari said cheerfully.

"What? Kain- _sensei_?" Kaoru, who had appeared out of nowhere, asked with interest.

"Where's Kain- _sensei_ at?" Kanade, who was with her, demanded. "We need to tell him about how the event's going! It's his idea, isn't it? Why isn't he here?"

"Ah, well…" Akari began as Kamo hopped onto her shoulder.

"We're going too!" the two friends and roommates insisted.

" _Is this okay?_ " Akari hissed to Kamo.

" _Just let it go. We need to get Kain…just let them come_."

8-8-8

"The operation is finally starting…" Kenjirô murmured, glancing up at the clock. He then turned his attention to the sleeping Kain. "Shouldn't we wake Kain now?"

"Be patient," Chisame commanded. "Let him sleep. He obviously still needs it…we should be able to last a little longer."

"Um…Chisame- _san_ …."

Chisame turned to Yue as she approached, wrapped in her robe with her hat over her head—she would have looked like quite an impressive witch if she didn't look so unsure of herself. "Huh? What?"

"It's about…Sakura- _san_ and Kain- _sensei_ …."

"Hmm?"

"Strictly speaking," Yue began, "what Sakura- _san_ is doing, or trying to do, is not terrorism. In short, it's a revolution. You could even call it…a 'global revolution' that overthrows the consciousness of every single person in the world, without any bloodshed, and from this we gain two points. Point 1—the fact that suffering people all over the world might be saved by this new power, magic. Point 2—the fact that the 'time traveler' Sakura- _san_ might be working to avoid an unhappy future through the use of this revolution.

"I think that this—that is, the thought that perhaps, because of these points, Sakura- _san_ 's mission might actually be the 'right' path—is what's troubling Kain- _sensei_."

"W-well, really, if you consider those points, it does make Sakura- _san_ sound like a good person," Nodoka admitted.

"B-but, Nodoka- _chan_ …" Kazumi began, but she trailed off.

"Tch. That's pointless," Chisame muttered.

"What, you wish that Sakura- _san_ was an easier-to-understand villain?" Kenjirô guffawed. "With some mission like 'taking over the world' or 'wiping out all gamers', something that would obviously make her bad?"

"T-that's a little…" Nodoka began.

Ignoring them, Yue continued, "Well, also…that is…even taking the above two points into consideration, I think I have…something like a logical proof that insists we must stop Sakura- _san_ …."

"What?" Chisame asked, surprised. "Well, if you have something like that, make sure to tell it to this guy when he wakes up."

"B-but this is only my opinion, and I'm not sure if it would even help Kain- _sensei_ even if I told him…."

"It's okay! Just do it! This guy needs words like that right now! You heard Takamichi's talk on the other side, right? It's probably a good idea to worry. At this rate, this guy is going to end up just like that Takamichi, making the wrong move at the end, you know?"

8-8-8

The advancement of the robot forces was of more concern to the fighters.

"It's getting tough! Even with the bazooka models, it takes eight shots to take down one of those legged tank things!"

"There's no end to this robot army!" Yukari cried.

"We lose, both the game and all our points, if our defense point gets taken over, right?" Matake demanded. "This is bad!"

Indeed, the oncoming army pressing through now started to fill the plaza.

"T-this…is bad…."

Riku gritted her teeth and stepped forward. "Don't give up! We can't just lose here!"

Up above, Momo smiled. "Well, don't you think it's about time to contribute, Mai?"

"Let's go!"

"Out of the way, Riku- _san_!"

Riku glanced up in surprise and danced backwards as the two swept in. Momo raised her sword and Mai prepared her own attack, and the two threw a combined blast of fire into the leading mech, destroying it. The blast threw aside more of the Tanakas.

The two turned and began to lay waste to more of the robots, and soon the area in front of the World Tree Plaza was mostly cleared.

Mai turned to Riku and smiled. "Sorry for the wait, Riku- _san_."

"Mai- _san_!? Wh-what's going on!?"

Before she could reply, another mech dropped down and landed right behind Mai. As she whirled to face it, it stopped its attack even before it began, and it fell in two halves. Standing behind the wreckage was Hinagiku, dressed in a rather lady knight kind of outfit (the unrealistic but popular armored dress). "Sorry I'm late," she said. Then she looked at her staring classmates. "Are you guys all right?"

" _K-Kaichô_!" Matake stammered. "Tokiha! Hinamori! W-what're you guys doing…!?"

Around them, the non-classmate students were remarking about the appearance of three they recognized from the tournament.

"What are you talking about?" Hinagiku asked. "We're the hero-class units, of course. It's…a little embarrassing, of course…."

"But, here we are," Mai finished.

"Eh? Unit?" Yukari asked. "Are you three making an idol debut together…?"

"Not that kind of unit!" Hinagiku burst out, exasperated. "Didn't you read the pamphlet?"

"Oh, right!" Risa remarked. "Um, here it is…'A short while after the game starts, powerful helper characters known as 'Hero-Class Units' will appear. Cooperate with them to increase your odds of success...'"

"E-eh!?" Matake seemed upset. "Why you guys!? That doesn't seem fair! The prize money is yours for the taking!"

"No, no," Momo assured her. "Since we're part of the organization of the event, and are just here to make the game more exciting, we won't be competing in the actual contest, so we won't be getting the prize money—please don't worry."

"W-well, that sounds great!" Eita put in. "Well, thanks for your help!"

"In any case, we should be going!" Mai insisted, floating into the air. "Take care of the rest of the enemies here! We have to get the enemies on the street below!"

"We're off!" Hinagiku said, and the three of them headed out—Mai flying, Momo hopping across the air, and Hinagiku jumping with incredible speed (but, naturally, not too high).

"What kind of trick is that?" Risa breathed. "They're flying and jumping so high…."

"That's so unfair," Keisaku muttered. "What kind of cool toys did they get? Man…I wish I was a hero-class unit, but I'm not sure I'd want to just give up the prize money just to do it…decisions…."

"Decide later!" Riku barked. "We have our own fighting to do!"

"Thanks for waiting!" declared the beloved announcer. "It's the appearance of the hero-class units! Please aim for higher scores by cooperating with these powerful heroes and protect the World Tree!"

The heroes began to appear around the tree, moving to stop the advancing forces. The participants stared in awe as their teachers and some of their fellow students began to unleash their powers in their midst.

Meia flew into one group and blasted away of stream of robots with energy from her ring. The Military Research Club gazed in amazement. "It's Meia- _sensei_!"

"Awesome!"

"I didn't expect Meia- _sensei_ to help out in such a silly commotion…."

"Shouldn't we follow Meia- _sensei_?" one demanded.

"Idiot! The opposite! If we follow her and she destroys all the enemies, we won't earn any points. Let's fight somewhere else!"

"I see!" Mei declared enthusiastically. "If it's just a performance, we can use our powers as much as we want without holding back, too! The principal- _sensei_ sure came up with a great plan!"

"Save the praise for later," Rin demanded. "We're going to join the battle too!"

She drew a staff, tapped by a blazing red gem, and launched a flash of fire into her enemies. Tear settled down to the ground and began to chant. An explosion of light engulfed them.

But, of course, mages weren't the only ones….

Dressed in a Korean _kimono_ and adorned with glasses, the Korean Kim Ban Yong walked past a beleaguered group of participants on the north side of the school. "The key to victory in any contest is an effective strategy. We stand on the defense against a foe with no will or fear, nothing but the command to pass through us. To fight them, we must meet them head on and destroy them."

The Tanakas in front of him opened their mouths to fire. In an instant Kim was beyond them. He grabbed one of the robots and threw it into one on his left, then smashed through a third with a high, sweeping kick. "Interesting toys…but they are nothing more than distractions."

On the other side of the school, the students began to murmur as the Chinese fighter began to approach—many of them, especially the young men, recognized him.

"Hey, isn't that…?"

"The Chinese kung fu star? Feilong Quan?"

"Wow, is it really him…?"

Feilong removed his white silk upper robe and cast it aside, leaving him, predictably, bare-chested with long black pants. Screaming, he charged in and his fists flashed, and the robots around him exploded to pieces. "Come, then, can't you do any better than that, machines? Ha!"

" _He_ is one of our hero units!? We've got this in the bag!"

A large Thai man was the next to appear. Dressed in the traditional Muay Thai outfit, this meant he also appeared _sans_ shirt, with shorts, bandage-wrapped forearms and shins, and a headband. "What a game we've got!" Hachan Tochaia crowed. "Okay, little tin men, can you entertain me? Eh?" His fists pumped like powerful pistons as he rained blows on the foes before him.

Zhou Xiang, the shaved head, orange-robed Shaolin master, made his own way out into combat. "Though they are machines, like men they have weak points for those with the eye to see them." Unlike Kim, Feilong and Hachan, he moved in and disabled the robots with minor strikes, and many of the forms that fell around him had almost no sign of being harmed.

The Japanese man with the thin mustache, dressed in a white _gi_ , thoughtfully surveyed the robots. "How interesting," Keisuke Ogata mused. "These are well-constructed machines. I wonder if I could implement any of them into training machines for Akari?" He moved with unbelievable speed and plucked out pieces of several machines, then tossed the useless husks around into more of the machines. "I'll have to inspect these in more detail later…."

A much larger Japanese man, dressed in a leather jacket and jeans and not looking much like a martial artist at first glance, walked next to a Frenchman, dressed as a gentleman with a thin mustache, a bowler hat, and swinging a cane. "Ha, now _this_ is a game," Kôtarô Hakami laughed. "I haven't had a good brawl in a while. Don't get in my way, Frenchman, unless you want to get buried along with these machines." He finished swigging a bottle and tossed it away.

"Don't worry about me," Serge Devaux replied. "There are more than enough enemies here to keep us entertained…."

Kôtarô charged in and leapt at one of the approaching four-legged walkers. A fierce punch sent it flying—far, and in about three pieces. "Unless you just go after big ones, I suppose…well, not my concern."

The Frenchman drew a sword from his cane and went after the Tanakas that were training their weapons on the _karateka_. He used mostly his feet as he dove into them like a dervish, but he also cut with the sword, and occasionally hooked and threw other robots away with the cane he still carried in his left hand.

Another Caucasian walked next to a short Chinaman in green Chinese robes, who was hiding his thick black mustache behind a camera as he looked around. "Oh…all these well-dressed beauties," murmured Bao Hanfu. "I love high schools. Coming here was a great idea. You must be loving it, too, eh, Soap?"

"I prefer my women of legal age," replied Bruce 'Soap' McTavish. Dressed in rough and well-worn clothing, he surveyed the machines with all his interest. "These Japanese," he sighed. "They love their bloody electronic toys. We're lucky the Americans put down their military…."

"Is your little Krav Maga of any use against them, or are you frightened?" teased Bao.

"Just watch me." McTavish replied. He moved to the nearest machine and grabbed it, swinging it around and pointing its head so that it blasted another Tanaka with its beam. He then ripped off the head and threw it into another foe.

"Impressive," Bao murmured, then turned his attention back to photographing the magical girls running around. Then he noticed that he had been surrounded by robots. "Whoopsy…." He sprang into the air and danced around, fending off his attackers while desperately trying to keep his camera from becoming a casualty.

Hitomi Takeda was the only one sitting out the action, sitting at a table at a café sipping tea and watching the destruction. "They're really letting loose," she murmured. "Most of them haven't had this much fun in a while…."

Her presence was more than made up for by the next two masters. The massive American with the huge blond mustache ripped off his shirt and revealed his rippling muscles. "Well! Fear not, noble mages! Feast your eyes upon this aesthetic perfection! I, your great ally, Michael Neil Armstrong, will show you the great boxing technique that has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations!"

His fists exploded as he moved into the mêlée, pieces of robots flying away from him.

The ground thundered as Kaiji Natsumi, champion _sumotori_ , strode forward. " _Sumo_ will not be left behind! Behold the beauty of Japan's oldest sport!" He charged forward with a lightness than defied his bulk, and he laid hold of one of the walkers. Grunting, he lifted and tossed the mech.

Kyomaru Heishiro, still dressed in his ragged _kimono_ , drew his swords as he strode into the fight. "Well, this is…an interesting diversion. This school always features the most exciting events, of course…let's begin." Both _katana_ and _wakizashi_ flashed as he laid into the groups.

While Feilong was recognized, one of his companions was instead incorrectly identified. "Ah…miss?" offered one high-school age boy as she approached the scene of battle with interest. "We're in the middle of an event here, and it's dangerous…."

"Dangerous?" Gracia Peres, exotic Brazilian lady, replied sweetly. "It's dangerous to get in my way. Just watch, boys…."

She waved at them…and leapt into the midst. Like a leaf floating on the wind, she danced amongst the machines, her legs alternately sending machines flying and grappling them, moving as freely and manipulatively as arms.

And, finally, the experienced _kunoichi_ , Aki Tanaka, didn't make her presence known much. Unlike many of her fellows, who chaotically and joyously charged into the fighting, she sat in the shadows, unseen until a robot made it too close to her defense point. Then a series of well-placed shuriken and _kunai_ flew out of nowhere and disabled the robot with precision.

"The number of downed enemies has exceeded a thousand!" enthused Nutmeg. "The operation is proceeding as planned!"

"On the other hand, if we didn't have this operation we would have been completely helpless. It's scary."

Suddenly their screens flashed red and warning bells began to sound around the control room.

"What's wrong?" barked the supervisor.

"This is…the school's security systems' main computer is being hacked by someone!"

"What!? How could we have not noticed until she invaded our computer?"

"Subsystem down! School barrier output is down 20%!"

"How did they get past our multi-layer defense system!?"

"Raise the defense barrier!"

"Barrier raised…it's been breached!"

As the panicked technobabble continued, the technicians found that their perfect systems were being swiftly and rapidly overcome by the cyberterrorist. The speed of their attacker was inhuman….

"At this rate, the school's barrier is going to collapse!"

8-8-8

"They're really doing a number on your army," Minoru commented. "They're actually pretty impressive. Who knew the Living World had so many powerful fighters?"

"In this world, 'you ain't seen _nothin_ ' yet'," Sakura giggled. "This is disappointing, though. Kain is nowhere to be seen. At this rate, they'll win before he even gets to do anything. We can't have that." She raised a hand to her ear. "Miyu? Download the program, and then head out into the field. It's time to set the full operation in motion." She lowered her hand and began to walk forward. "I'll be busy until it's over, Minoru- _kun_. You'll have to watch alone, now."

She vanished. Minoru smiled and shook his head. "Is this what's she's been doing the entire time? What a crazy world…."

8-8-8

The ground shook as the new foes made their appearance. Six gigantic robots rose out of the lake and the surrounding countryside.

Inside the library, the group gathered around Chisame's computer and stared at the real-time images being broadcast. Kenjirô took one look, and then started heading for the door. "Looks like things are getting rough out there. I'm heading out."

Chisame watched him go, then turned to Yue. "Oi, wasn't the school supposed to have a barrier or something that kept things like this from moving?"

"T-that should have been the case…" Yue agreed.

"I think it might be our turn to help out…" Ami offered.

"Y-yeah!" Nodoka said. "We should wake up Kain- _sensei_ , too…."

"Wait!" Chisame barked. "It doesn't look like he's completely recovered yet. We really only need him for the final showdown with Sakura. Don't wake him until the last moment. Instead, let's contact that small animal!"

8-8-8

The gigantic machines rose out over the lake and approached the clustered hordes of defenders. They stared up in renewed shock, fear and awe.

"W-wow…" Izumi muttered.

"They're huge!" cried Riza.

"Gun**ms?" Miki groaned. "Now we have to fight Gun**ms?"

The giant machine began to visibly power a beam near its 'mouth'. It blasted into the group, devastating the modesty of a large group of defenders.

"What an incredible sight!" crowed Nanami. "Have even our dauntless Mahora students become shaken after seeing these giant alien robots!? It looks like six total are approaching the six defense points, one for each! What a pinch this is! Now then, how will you fight this, Magic Knight Brigade!?"

In response, several of the teachers flew through the air to the nearest giant robot. Seruhiko alighted on the steeple of the nearby chapel. "Even I need to show off every once in a while," he muttered. He brandished a staff and a series of magic circles appeared, surrounding the mecha.

"Wow, it stopped!" cheered the students below.

"Go, hero-class units!"

Closer to the main buildings, Akari sent a mecha flying with a well-placed punch.

"Amazing!" Kaoru said. "Well, I'm going to help too!"

"And you're not leaving me behind!" Kanade insisted. They brandished their weapons.

"STRIKE THE ENEMY!"

Meanwhile, the operators for Mahora found themselves still helpless before Miyu's hacking program.

And in the library, they discovered to their dismay that the phones weren't working, either. "Some sort of interference?" Kazumi asked.

"That's not the worst of it," Chisame said. "The school's barrier has fallen due to a net attack."

"What!?" Yue demanded.

"Using information from your artifact, I accessed the 'Mahonet' thing. I don't know the details, but it seems the school's computerized security system is failing. Looking at the situation now, there's no doubt. Is there anything we can do about that?"

"The fastest way to neutralize those things would be to revive the barrier," Yue explained.

Chisame gritted her teeth as she typed away at her computer. "Damn it, a B6 Sub Notebook like this with 11B Wireless LAN just won't cut it!"

Ami, Nodoka, and Kiami all exchanged looks. "W-what if you had a better computer?" Nodoka offered.

Chisame sighed. "No, I don't think there's anything a normal person like me could do. I can't even get a good grip on the situation…."

"Well then," Kiami murmured, coming close to her, "perhaps it's time for Chisame- _chan_ to get her own artifact."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Basically, it's time for Chisame- _chan_ to kiss Kain- _sensei_ , obviously," Kiami elucidated.

"WHA—!? Wait…why do I have to do something like that!?"

"No need to worry…you have the class' approval," Kiami insisted. "Don't hold back."

"T-that's not what I'm talking about!" Chisame insisted.

"Why are you getting upset for?" Kiami teased. "It's just a kiss with Kain- _sensei_. Everyone's done it by now…."

"E-everyone but you, _baka_ , but that's not it! A kiss like that doesn't mean anything, maybe, who cares, but if I do it, if I make this 'contract' with Kain _-sensei_ , that means I'll completely be a member of this stupid fantasy world, right!? I'd become what I'm fighting against…."

"How naïve," Kiami scoffed. "The world is in danger of becoming just what you dread, right before your eyes, you know. Refuse, and you could contribute to that happening. How will you avoid becoming involved in a fantasy world if it changes into what we just escaped from due to your inability to contribute…?"

"W-well…that is…" Chisame stammered.

"Is Kain- _sensei_ here?" Akari called as she entered.

"Where's Kain- _sensei_?" Kaoru demanded.

"We came to see him!" Kanade insisted.

Kiami spotted Kamo on Akari's shoulder. "Ah…excellent timing…." She swept over and began to usher Kaoru and Kanade out. "Yes, Kain- _sensei_ will be up in a minute, so please be patient…."

" _What's this about_?" Kamo whispered to her.

" _Chisame-_ chan _is finally going to do it_ ," she whispered back.

"N-no, wait!" Chisame cried as Kiami began to evict the rest of the girls. "Don't decide things on your own! I-I-I, this is my, um, my first…."

"Take your time," Kiami murmured, and shut the door behind her.

"…Time."

Kamo leapt into the air and a magic circle flashed around the couch where Kain lay. Chisame turned that direction, making a low sound in her throat. _('Well, it's true that we could use some combat power right now. To be able to obtain a high-performance convenient item with just a kiss…there's really no reason not to accept such a good deal…. The opponent is probably Sakura or Miyu…either way, there's nothing I can do with my notebook. And the world's in a crisis, and_ I _, at least, can't stand to live in a world where reality and dreams are all mixed up. I have no choice here. And, after all, after so many other girls have already kissed him, it's not like it means anything anymore…it's not as if there's anything for me to be bothered about…._

 _('Yeah, nothing to be bothered about. I should just do it quickly.')_

"What are you freezing up for?" Kamo demanded. "Let's get it done!"

"Shut up, small animal."

She knelt in the circle next to the couch and took her glasses off. "Well…then…."

She stared at her teacher's face. _('T-this feels wrong, though…to rob an innocent young man's lips while he's sleeping…never mind how many times he's done it…we're both just kids, still, with no feelings between us, so it doesn't have any significance beyond the item I'll get…._

 _('But…just a kid? Just a fourteen-year-old kid my age? Boys are supposed to be less mature than girls, especially at our age, so…I've never thought of him as a teacher. He's more like an annoying younger brother. That's what I thought…but…after seeing everything he went through yesterday…I can't even think of him as a kid anymore, let alone one my age…._

 _(…What am I even thinking here? Forget about that. Anyway, I should just quickly get it over with while he's sleeping….')_

Kain stirred and half-opened one eye. "Uh…Hasegawa- _san_ …?"

Chisame started. "The operation," Kain murmured. "How's it going…?"

"Ah, well, i-in any case…!" Chisame threw a hand over Kain's eyes.

"E-eh? W-what? Hasegawa- _san_ , what are you doing?"

"Shut up and be quiet!" she insisted, and then ducked her head down to kiss Kain.

 _('Oh…so soft….')_

The energy flared around them and burst, but Chisame was too bothered to even notice. _('Hmm…? How many seconds do I have to do this for? If I keep this up, something strange will….')_

"Nice, but that's good now, Chiucchi," Kamo finally said, allowing her to pull away and both of them to breathe.

"O-oh, is that so?"

"U-um, Chisame…" Kain began as Chisame turned away and put her glasses on.

"Sorry, _Sensei_. I went ahead and made a provisional contract on my own."

"Uh…um…."

"Shut up! Be quiet! Just like you wanted, there's a big battlefield outside already! So…you can just leave the internet portion of the battle to me, okay!?"

She turned back to glare at him. "You listening? Don't make a mistake at the very end, all right!? If you're still feeling unsure, then listen to what Ayase has to say! It's time for you to step in now! Get out there and knock the lights out of that Sakura!"

Kain, finally able to get a word in edgewise, put the last few confusing moments behind him and steeled his resolve. " _H-hai_!"

8-8-8

Up above the fray, Alyssa floated in the air, looking over the battlefield. "This is nice. I have so much power now…I guess Miyu dropped the school's barrier. It's just like before, when I fought Kain…I have all my power back. It's just too bad I still can't leave the school grounds…."

"Really? You're at full power, and you're just going to float there and watch?"

Alyssa turned and glanced back at Jynx. "What about you?" she replied. "If you can come out like this, shouldn't you try to help your best friend's son?"

Jynx shook his head. "This is Kain's mission. I can't do anything to help him. We're both…just spectators here, no matter what happens…."

8-8-8

Down below, the combatants, regular students, 'heroes', and robots, battled it out.

Riku dodged an attack and blasted another foe. Then her next attack fizzled and produced only smoke. "Tch…out of ammo?"

She ducked back to the safety of the inner part of the defense point to chant the 'reload' spell. Then she checked the scoreboard that was displayed. "What…? I'm ranked 28th!"

Matake started and stared. "Holy cow, it's true!"

"Tanaka!" Keisaku barked. "We have to work harder!"

"Right!"

And where was Kagome in all this? In the nursing station, where she was using her apprentice magics to help with the injured. "Don't cry," she told a child that had wandered too close to the action and been knocked down and received scraped knees. "Your _onee-chan_ here is going to cast a spell to make you better."

She chanted and waved the little practice wand she kept, and the minor wound—and the pain—faded away. The child looked down at its knees in awe and surprise. "It doesn't hurt anymore! How'd you do it, _onee-chan_?"

Kagome smiled. "Because _onee-chan_ is a mage."

"Thank you, mage _onee-chan_!" the child said before it ran off.

"We barely have anyone coming here," Kagome mentioned to one of the other attendant nurses—also a mage. "Even though it's so intense outside…."

"The magical robes we gave out protect from most normal injuries," her companion explained. "It's almost more dangerous to not be a participant."

"Yeah," Kagome sighed, and stared out wistfully at the distant scenes of fighting. "I wonder if Mai and Momo and the rest are okay…."

Momo and Mai were approaching one of the giant robots, in fact. "Look at that thing," Momo said. "It looks like the demon from Kyoto. Can we do anything against it?"

Mai gritted her teeth. "We can try!"

They flew in and unleashed their attacks on the robot…and their spells impacted against the mecha with the same effect and power of a rubber band. It turned its attention to them and unleashed a blast.

The two dodged aside and swept around, continuing their assault, but it was just as useless. As Mai dodged another blast, the robot swept an arm around and clubbed her, sending her flying. She gritted her teeth and tried to get control of herself. _('No…I won't let it…I'll stop it….')_

8-8-8

 _[Mai turned and glanced back as the cloaked man approached. "Talking to your…friends, again, Mai?" Jynx asked her._

 _She turned back to stare back out at sea again. "They…are closer to me than any people…I'm…human, but…even though they say I'm part of some family…I've never known any humans who thought of me as anything more than something to use…."_

 _Jynx stared at her for a second, then sat down next to her and laid a hand on her head. "Well, that's over now, Mai. You're with us now…Kain and Aeli and Saber and the rest of us. We can be your family now…you'll never be alone again." He paused, then continued, "But you don't have to give up these other friends if they're important to you. Maybe you should introduce us sometime…."]_

8-8-8

"Kagutsuchi!"

A gigantic fireball appeared out of nowhere and then exploded into a giant white bird-like creature. Momo blanched from the heat it produced, then stared at it. "That's…!"

Mai floated up and glanced at the giant head. It turned and stared back at her, making an odd cooing sound. "I guess…this is the third time I've summoned you," Mai murmured. "The other two…something else in me did it. I only sort of knew what happened, and I was afraid of that…of you. I'm sorry. I feel I should…know you…but I don't remember. Right now…I think I need you…can I count on you?"

The robot approached. Kagutsuchi swiveled its head to meet it. The robot began to open its mouth to fire, and Kagutsuchi did the same.

Kagutsuchi's fire was first and ultimate, and the robot rocked back and fell, smoking. Tear, Rin, and Mei came upon the scene and stared. "That's…!" Mei shrilled.

"Worry about that later!" Tear insisted.

"We've got to seal the spirit before it escapes the body!" Rin added. "Prepare the spell!"

On the other side, Hinagiku ran up to the robot that Seruhiko held at bay. A couple other teachers were nearby. "Nijuuin- _sensei_!" she called. "Is there something I can do?"

"Oh, you're Katsura's…you came just in time. We need to reseal this demonic spirit, but we can't do it if the thing is undamaged. We need to give it a certain degree of damage first. Your sword there…it's a powerful anti-magic weapon, right? You could be a big help!"

Hinagiku stared up at it. "I-I guess I can try…."

"Make sure you don't damage the head! If the power that binds the spirit to the robot is weakened, the _mazoku_ inside could escape and go berserk! If that happens, it'll do worse than just embarrass people…."

"U-understood…!"

"Hold on a moment."

Hinagiku turned as Takamichi approached, dressed in his common white suit, his hands, as usual, in his pocket. "I can't let one of my former students do such a dangerous job. I'll do it."

"Eh? B-but, Takahata- _sensei_ …ah…all right…."

He smiled, then brought his hands out to activate his _kanka_. "There are six of these in all. I think Mai- _kun_ 's got one under control now…to take care of the rest, we have to hurry."

He leapt into the air and unleashed several of his _iai_ blasts on the monster. It reeled from the blasts, but staggered forward again. _('Hmm…it's tough.')_ He glanced back at the clearly visible smoking wreckage and white bird floating in the air. _('That's…Mai-_ kun _'s spirit…was it really powerful enough to take one of these out in one shot…?')_

The creature lurched back forward and began to power a beam. Nijuuin began to panic. "The restraints are breaking! Watch out!"

It swept a hand at Takamichi, who dodged aside easily and leapt even higher into the air. He unleashed his full-strength _iai_ at that angle he so favored, and the mecha was ground into the earth. A large section of its midsection was missing, and it lay still.

Takamichi touched down. "Its regenerative power should be weak, since it's bound to the machinery! Now's your chance!"

"R-right!"

As Nijuuin began to prepare the spell, Takamichi glanced to the side. Suddenly there was an explosion as one of his almost invisible quick shots impacted something, and a black sphere materialized in the air for a moment before fading away.

"W-what's wrong, Takahata- _kun_!?"

"A sniper! Watch out!"

"What!? Is it that special bullet we've heard about? Everyone, raise your magic barriers to maximum! It may be a barrier-piercing bullet! Don't forget the counter plan we discussed! Hurry up with the sealing process!"

Miyu stared with her robotic telescopic vision at Takamichi. "As expected of Takahata- _sensei_ , to be able to sense and defend against that shot. However, this is within the mission's acceptable parameters…."

Her arm was currently in a type of long-barreled gun formation, and she turned it to a new target. The bullet impacted the barrier of the one of the working nearby mages.

Nijuuin spotted the flash of magic and turned. "Processing team, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, the barrier's stopping it…."

And then a magic circle appeared at the point of impact, and an instant later the man was enveloped by a black sphere that instantly compacted in on itself and then vanished. There was no sign of the mage.

"D-damn! Stop the sealing process! All personnel evacuate! Get to cover…!"

Three other chanting mages were suddenly enveloped by black spheres and vanished.

Nijuuin huddled behind a building next to a panting Hinagiku. "W-what _is_ that?" she demanded. "Were…were they all killed?"

"I don't know!" Nijuuin moaned. _('They were swallowed whole with their magic barriers! I've never seen a weapon like that! The sniper is on the other side of this wall…we should be okay for now….')_

And Miyu suddenly alighted to the ground next to them. Her arm transformed into a multi-barreled cannon as she raised it toward them….

8-8-8

Mai stared down at the scene as Tear, Mei and Rin worked with the spell to seal the demon. _('We did it…we just have to stop one of these, and Sakura-_ san _can't succeed, right? With this, we've won?')_

"My, my…this won't do at all."

Mai whirled around as Sakura appeared behind her. "Sakura- _san_ …!"

Sakura glanced up at Kagutsuchi. "Hmm…this again. It's a magnificent beast, but, like me, it doesn't belong in this world. Sleep deeply, _Yume no Musôka_."

She waved her short sword around, and the blade and guard actually vanished. She motioned with the handle in her hand, and as the giant beast began to turn its attention to the white-robed girl, it swiftly started fading away and suddenly disappeared.

"Kagutsuchi!" Mai cried, then, gritting her teeth, charged in. She lashed out with a flying, swinging kick, but she whiffed, hitting only empty air, and 'stumbled' through the air as Sakura was no longer there.

She was now standing over the still form of the giant mecha. She waved her sword again, and suddenly the monster was standing up, fully regenerated, and it roared. A burst of power surged out of it and sent the three lady mages flying. It did not suddenly heal and stand up…it literally went from lying on the ground, damaged, in one instant, to standing upright and fully powered the next, with no in between state. As the girls recovered and gaped, Sakura was suddenly standing behind them. " _Bakudo_ 99: _Kin_ (Restrict)." Black bands suddenly wrapped around the arms of all three of the girls, binding them behind their backs and causing them to topple forward onto their faces.

"H-how!?" Mai demanded in shock. "How is this possible!?"

"My _zanpaku-tô_ , _Yume no Musôka_ , is literally a dream," Sakura explained to her. "Its primary power is to make the world around me into my territory, a part of my _Yumekei_ (Dreamscape). Within this territory, I can freely move the world between reality and fantasy. Things that I choose become illusion, or illusion suddenly becomes the new reality. Summoned creatures are easy to dismiss, and I can heal any wound or damage to anything I choose simply by making the reality change so that 'the injury never happened in the first place'."

Momo came dashing in, swinging her sword, but it impacted something like an invisible blade and stopped, quivering slightly. "Hello, Momo- _chan_ ," Sakura said cheerfully, glancing back. "You're enthusiastic."

"So you've come out!" Momo declared. "We'll stop you here, Sakura- _chan_ , and put an end to this!"

"Will you?" she asked as Mai came charging in again. She made a hefty slashing motion with her hand and Momo was suddenly repelled as if pushed away from a blade lock. Sakura ducked under Mai's attack and planted the hilt of her sword in her solar plexus. She gasped and then fell limp as her consciousness fled.

As Mai began to fall, Momo, hovering above, began to prepare a spell, but Sakura was suddenly behind her. As she turned swiftly, wide-eyed, she found Sakura's outstretched hand in her face. The spell went off, and Momo, too, fell limp and peaceful.

Both girls floated peacefully to the ground as Sakura gazed at them with an odd mixture of affection and regret. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to be nice anymore," she explained. "You've pushed everything to the limit now. I can't spare anything for you now…the only one I'm interested in is Kain."

8-8-8

A Tanaka strode forward with a minigun in its hands. The defenders stared at it in shock. "W-what's that…?"

It opened fired, and as the bullets flew around, the resulting missiles caused black spheres to appear and engulf their targets. When the black spheres collapsed in on themselves, the mages within were gone.

Risa and Matake weren't quick enough, and they found themselves within one of the circles. Risa cried and stared at Riku. "R-Riku! S-save me!" And then she was gone.

Their comrades stared in shock. "Oga- _chan_!" Eita screamed. "Oga- _chan_!"

"W-what happened to them!?" Yukari wailed.

8-8-8

Nijuuin shoved Hinagiku aside and vanished inside a black sphere as Miyu opened fire. Miyu then started training her gun on Hinagiku again, but a blast of energy suddenly impacted at her location, and she was forced to retreat. Then Takamichi swept in, grabbed Hinagiku, and skipped off.

"T-Takahata- _sensei_ …!? I-it's horrible! They're all gone, even Nijuuin- _sensei_ was taken out…!"

"Calm down," Takamichi murmured. "They're probably all right. From the look of it, I'd say it was just a kind of displacement magic."

"Displace…what?" Hinagiku demanded.

"The bullet creates a space distortion that teleports the victim," Takamichi explained. "I believe you've had some experience with teleportation magic before? It should displace them about 3 kilometers at the most…they should be completely fine."

"Oh…well, that's a relief…."

"Still, what's the point of it?" Takamichi murmured. "Even 3 kilometers here shouldn't make any difference…."

"You're exactly right," Sakura said sweetly as she stepped into view, Miyu trailing her. She glanced back as Takamichi tensed. "Miyu, I've got things here. Go remove the rest of those annoying heroes of theirs."

"Yes, Sakura- _sama_." And Miyu leapt away.

Sakura turned back to Takamichi. "Now, it might be a different story if this was a war zone, but in these conditions, you're right—moving 3 kilometers isn't far enough away to do more than annoy you. However, what if it wasn't 3 kilometers…but 3 hours that they were transported…?"

"W-what!?" Hinagiku demanded. "What are you talking about!?"

"It's Caria's most fabulous invention for me," Sakura continued. "It's the same thing that Kain did to Alyssa during their battle, using his cloak…but these compact little bullets work on a far greater scale."

"Three hours ahead, you say?" Takamichi inquired.

"Hina- _chan_ …good job to you and everyone else for escaping my trap and returning here…I'm glad you made it. Still, I'm disappointed…where's Kain at? He's the one I really want to see here. If he doesn't come to stop me, there's no meaning to anything I'm doing. Why is he hiding?"

Hinagiku stepped forward and brandished her sword. "Just shut up! I didn't expect you to come out on your own! I'll take care of you right here and now and put a stop to this!"

"Be careful, Hina- _chan_ ," Sakura warned her. "Or you'll end up just like Momo- _chan_ and Mai- _chan_. I've already taken care of them."

"W-what!?"

"If you want to come at me, go ahead," Sakura said, raising her sword. "I won't be gentle, however. I don't have the time or the energy to waste at this stage. You've never been actually cut by a real sword before, have you? Maybe the experience will do you good…."

"Stop, Hinagiku- _kun_!"

Heedless of Takamichi's warning, Hinagiku charged in…and then collapsed, motionless, at Sakura's feet.

"Ah, well," Sakura sighed. "In the end, I just can't raise my sword against my innocent classmates…but you'll have to lie there for a while, in any case."

"Did you do that to Mai- _kun_ and Hinamori- _kun_ too?" Takamichi asked. "Kain- _kun_ won't be happy that you're injuring his friends like that."

Sakura smiled at him. "Good. I hope he's angry at me. Right now, I need him to be. If he doesn't come at me full-force, then I've wasted my time here…."

8-8-8

Akari, Ami, Nodoka, Kazumi and Kiami stood at the ready. "We're all set, Kain- _sensei_!" Akari declared.

Chisame and Yue, standing to the side somewhat hidden from view, glanced over and then continued their low conversation.

"Kain- _sensei_ 's awake!?" Kaoru and Kanade demanded in excitement.

Kain swept his cloak around his shoulders and fluffed it into place. "Right. I'm ready, too!"

"Let's go!"

Ami nodded. "Yes…we should get going…."

"W-wait!" Nodoka said. "Yue's still…."

"Kain- _sensei_ , where are you going?" Kanade asked.

"Are you all right?" Kaoru queried. "I heard Kain- _sensei_ was overworked from all the Festival activities and had to rest…."

"Yûki- _san_ , Konoe- _san_ …I'm fine now, really. All rested up…."

"Now, take this card and create some kind of password or command to summon it," Yue instructed Chisame. "Some of us like the Latin word _Adeat_ , but you can use almost any command in any language, as long as it invokes the idea in your mind of causing your artifact to come forth."

"A-anything?" Chisame muttered. "Tch…guess there's no way around it. What to say, what to say…?"

"It's not that hard, just…."

"Load!"

The card flashed and…turned into a small rod that greatly resembled a _Mahô Shôjo_ (Magical Girl) anime wand. Chisame took it in her hand and stared at it. "O-oi, how is this supposed to be internet-related? It's a magical girl's tool, no matter how you look at it…."

"No, it's clearly computer-related," Yue insisted. She showed Chisame her book. "Here, I looked it up. This is the instruction manual."

"I-is that so?" Chisame said, staring at the text. She turned to Kamo. "Still, it seems awfully convenient. Whatever happened to the standard for awarding artifacts?"

"Magic is a living thing, Chiucchi," Kamo informed her. "It tends to like people, too, which is how spirits like me get born. The magical realm itself decides all this, really. It understands your needs, just like it did with Kazumi- _chan_ earlier, so just be grateful and use it."

"The event's going great!" Kanade enthused. "I've been working real hard to get it known, and we used up all the gear provided! Are you proud of me?"

"You've helped me out a lot," Kain assured her. "All of you have. I owe you so much for everything…."

"What are you talking about?" Kaoru laughed. "We're the ones who owe you, Kain- _sensei_! You've done so much for us as a teacher…."

"We should get going, Kain- _sensei_ ," Kiami cut in. "I think things are getting hectic out there."

"R-right!" Kain agreed.

"Eh? What?" Kaoru said excitedly.

"Oh, what now?" Kanade cried in delight. "More fun with the event?"

"Ah, well, kind of…it's going to be dangerous now…."

"We'll come too!"

"Um, no, it's best if you don't…."

"Hey, _Baka_ Green, Dorm Head!" Chisame called. "I-I need the two of you to help me out with something. It's something important about…Kain- _sensei_ …."

"E-eh? Well…if you say so…" Kaoru said slowly.

"Okay! What do you need, Chi- _chi_?"

The rest of the girls filed out, and Kain slipped out after them.

"Yue," he asked the girl as they pelted along the hall.

"Yes?"

"Chisame said you had something important to tell me…that I should listen to what you had to say about Sakura- _san_."

"Ah, r-right! But…the truth is, this is only my opinion. I'm not sure whether it will help Kain- _sensei_ or not…."

"We're heading for the courtyard behind the main building!" Akari announced as they reached the library's exit.

They hurried out into the evening light…and were brought up short by a larger six-legged walker mech, with three gun-toting Tanakas riding its back.

"A new robot…" Akari mused.

It raised a cannon and fired.

The quicker students grabbed their less agile comrades and everyone scattered away, and the black spheres detonated in their midst.

"W-what's that!?" Ami demanded, shocked. "A black hole bomb!?"

"We don't want to get hit by it, obviously," Kiami remarked unnecessarily.

"Priority target confirmed," the robot intoned. "Eliminating the priority target's six companions." It continued to fire, as did the three Tanakas on its back.

Yue and Nodoka brought forth their books, but found that they had could not read anything about the new robot, much to their dismay.

Then Kain suddenly dashed in. There were two ripples of air and the machine fell in three pieces, then he snapped his fingers and an explosion turned the remaining robot parts—including all three passengers—into little more than pieces of scrap metal. The girls observed their teacher in wonder.

 _('He's gotten much faster at activating his True_ Kanka _,')_ Akari thought with a smile. _('At this level….')_

"Let's go!" Kain declared.

8-8-8

The mage teachers stared in wonder as their numbers began to vanish into the little black orbs. "W-what are those bullets!?" Seruhiko marveled.

"Step down Seruhiko- _kun_!" Gandolfini barked, stepping to the forefront. As one bullet came streaking it, he shot it with his own handgun…and yet a black sphere billowed out from the impact, engulfing him.

"Gandolfini!" Kataragi bellowed. Then Miyu was suddenly behind him. He fired a shot at her with a half-turn and raised his barrier, but her own shot impacted that barrier…and he was gone along with it.

Meia lighted onto the roofs. "What is this!?" she demanded.

Bruce McTavish hopped up next to her. "It seems there's trouble, milady. Shall I lend you a hand?"

"Just don't get in my way," she barked in reply, and opened fire on Miyu with her ring.

Miyu dodged aside and fired a bullet at her. To her surprise, McTavish stepped forward and cut the bullet in half with a knife…and then the two halves exploded out into that black sphere.

"What is this!?" Meia demanded, and then the two were gone.

One by one, the hero units began to fall to the methodical and nearly unstoppable special bullet in the works….

8-8-8

The smoke cleared between them, and Sakura smiled at Takamichi. "As expected of a companion of Kalan Lockeheart…despite the difference in our power, you've managed to hold your own. For a human, you're incredibly capable and experienced…."

Takamichi did not respond to her compliment, but instead averred, "Even if you don't cause a single casualty today, once the world learns of magic's existence, chaos will overtake this world. Do you understand that, Sakura- _kun_?"

"And? What does that matter to me? Well, not that I'm unsympathetic. But you have seen this world…you should know better than anyone. There are people dying and suffering everyday. There are nations waging war for all kinds of reasons even now. It's not like this world is a utopia that will have its peace shattered…the world is already in chaos. Some of what happens will merely be a side-shift at the worst…people will forget prejudices of race and religion and instead focus their attention on the difference between mage and non-mage. It won't be pretty, perhaps…and maybe magic will give more means of war…but doesn't science do the same thing? Should we take away all science and live like the Amish just so we won't have any tools for war? Magic can help, and hurt…I'm just making it free for all the world to make use of it as they will, instead of letting mages hide it away where it serves no purpose. You should know this better than anyone, Takamichi- _kun_. You who have seen the corruption, injustice, and inequality of both worlds…revealing magic to bring everyone on an equal footing is the only way. But most of all, this is all for Kain's sake. Otherwise, he may end up falling to the darkness…just as his father did. Won't you help me avoid that fate, Takamichi- _kun_?"

Takamichi froze…just for an instant, but in that instant Sakura was behind him. "Chance!" she said sweetly. "You hesitated." At the same time she released a ball that instantly blossomed into a black sphere that enveloped the teacher.

"I'll see you in 3 hours' time," Sakura told him as he disappeared. "In the world after I've succeeded."

"T-Takahata- _sensei_!" Hinagiku cried from her place on the ground.

Sakura turned her attention back to her. "Are you already awake? You're surprisingly tough, Hina- _chan_. Oh, well, I guess I should send you off as well, so you won't bother me anymore…."

She tossed a second ball at the prone girl…then suddenly a young man was there, sweeping the ball aside with his double-bladed sword. Sakura stared in shock as the black sphere appeared, engulfed the two…and then faded away, leaving the two of them perfectly fine.

"K-Kaji- _kun_ …?" Hinagiku murmured.

"Eh?" Sakura demanded in shock. "That…sword…."

"Yes," Kajirô answered with a hint of satisfaction. "This is my soul blade. Its name is…."

" _Kamikaze_ ," Sakura replied evenly. "Its primary ability is the Wind of Balance that prevents all spells, techniques, poisons and other effects that don't directly cause physical injury from affecting you or those you protect."

Kajirô blinked in surprise. "…Eh?"

"I know that sword all too well," she muttered. "To see it in the hands of a human…." She sighed. "That means I'll have to get rough here…."

She dodged backwards as two blasts of rending air passed through her occupied space. Kenjirô and Hikaru now stood with their allies.

"More and more of you," Sakura said, then smiled. "Well, do you think that your three swords together can match me?"

Kenjirô considered this. "As much as I'd like to try, probably not. So…."

He leapt into the air and powered up a massive burst of energy which he brought into their midst. Sakura dodged aside again and then stared. The smoke finally cleared, and they were all gone.

"Not bad," she said. "Well, I suppose I might have done something, but it's all right. Right now, the less fighting I have to do, the better…." She gazed at her hand, which faded briefly from existence before returning.

8-8-8

Kain, flanked by his six companions, hurried on, racing towards the final confrontation….

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: The Battle for the Mahora Tree_

 _Chao had bigger plans for the world in the original than Sakura does here. She had already set things up so that, in the event of her plan's success, organizations she had prepared would take charge of running the world in order to limit the chaos stemming from magic's revelation. Sakura, meanwhile, is not going to interfere any more than this in a world that she really has nothing to do with…she just has her own plan…._

 _The good guys in this are also a little boosted in power since I brought the masters of the_ dôjôs _in and set them against the robot armies. I just had to show off some of them. Sakura has her work cut out for her in handling them, but through similar events to McTavish's they, too, will be whisked away to the future, leaving everything (naturally) in the hands of the kids._

 _Oh yes, I also had cameos from MegaTokyo. I figured, why not—it's one of my favorite anime-related stories, and it's a great opportunity for Largo to go crazy and have fun._

 _…I'm not sure what else I can really ramble about here. We're all in the action, and several characters still have to show themselves, and so…let's go on…._


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Chapter Five: Dreamer of Dreams, Act Five: A Neverending Dream

Kain and his cohorts hurried in the areas between the buildings, keeping under cover. Kain paused suddenly and glanced ahead.

"This area opens up…be careful and follow me," he instructed them.

"Kain- _sensei_ can fly, can't he?" Kazumi asked. "Why doesn't he just leave us and go ahead?"

"After seeing those strange bullets, we dare not expose ourselves," Kiami explained. "It's far too quiet…there are too many robots and too few of us. That means that somehow, even our great 'heroes' have been greatly thinned…."

Kain paused suddenly again, and the girls could see his heightened alertness. His sword still in his hand, he dashed around the edge of the tram he was hiding behind….

And the figure around the corner sent the sword flying, grabbed him, and pressed him to the ground with astonishing speed. Legs were around his neck and a hand twisted his arm back behind him painfully….

"Aki _-shishô_?" Kiami demanded.

The older _kunoichi_ turned to the girl. "Ah, Kiami." She glanced down at her victim. "Oh, is this your teacher? I apologize." She relinquished her hold on her victim and hauled him to his feet.

"What are you doing, Aki - _shishô_?" Kiami asked as she retrieved Kain's sword for him. "What's going on here?"

"Our illustrious warriors have been enjoying dominating this game," Aki explained. "Or, they had been. However, they've nearly all been taken out by a mysterious enemy…."

"Our masters?" Akari demanded in disbelief. "How is that possible, Aki- _sama_?"

"These attacks have no power or substance," she explained. "However, they just…make people disappear. Most of our more bullheaded fighters took the hits or deflected them in shows of machismo, and the rest…fell victim to an assassin amongst your student friends, using the same weapon…."

A ball suddenly dropped at Aki's feet. She still held the stunned and numb Kain upright, and upon seeing the explosion begin to engulf her, Aki threw him aside and fell victim to it herself.

"Aki!" Kiami cried in shock.

The group ducked back to safety. "T-that was…!"

"The same thing I used on Alyssa," Kain cursed. "Temporal displacement bombs…but much more powerful…."

"That's right, Kain- _sensei_ ," a new voice intoned. "Sorry, but we need to have you leave the battlefield now."

Erika stepped slowly into sight. She held a small orb of churning blackness in each hand and stared at the hidden group with blood-red eyes.

"E-Erika- _san_!?"

"W-what are you doing, _Fukukaichô_?" Ami demanded. "Why…are you helping Sakura- _san_?"

"I have my reasons," Erika replied. "I…need her to succeed. Sorry, but I can't let any of you here past this point."

8-8-8

"Now, then," Nanami intoned, "things have really become serious. In front of this overwhelming difference in firepower, the World Tree Plaza is about to fall into the enemy's hands. What will you do now, Magical Knight Brigade?"

"That gatling robot really got us," one young man murmured as the defenders huddled behind safety. "They even got the crazy _gaijin_ …and the heroes, too."

"But where does everyone go after they disappear?"

"I don't know…things are starting to smell fishy here…."

"Tch…at this rate, we're not gonna hold on."

A laugh resounded from loudspeakers around the school. As everyone gazed up in surprise, a gigantic image of Sakura appeared in the sky. "Looks like you're having a tough time, my noble mages!"

The warriors reacted to this, particularly her classmates. However, most of the school recognized the girl from her various activities.

"I am the leader of this alien robot army," Sakura intoned, "the final boss, Sakura of the Marigold, the Flower of Despair. Your swift attacks in the first half were quite impressive, as expected of mages of Mahora. I'm sorry, but the rules allowing you to return to battle were too lenient…I had to adjust the rules on the fly to make it more challenging for you. Now, getting hit by _this bullet_ means instant disqualification. On top of that, through the engineering department's special techniques, the bullet will instantly send you to the penalty box, where you'll have to sleep away the rest of the Festival."

The crowd began to react to this announcement. "O-oi…so that's it…? That's a pretty serious penalty…."

"Isn't that too unfair?"

"Are you feeling the true tension now?" Sakura continued sweetly. "You're free to forfeit at any time…and you should also be aware that most of your supporting hero units have been eliminated, so you're on your own. Well, best of luck, everyone!" And she faded away.

"…Well, then," Nanami finally resumed. "The Final Boss, Sanada Sakura, has finally appeared! The sponsor of the revitalized Mahora True Battle Tournament and well-known entrepreneur of Mahora Academy has stepped up to play the role of lead villain! Now, Sanada Sakura is hiding somewhere in the game area! Special bonus points and a cash prize will be awarded to the one who finds her!"

The would-be mages began to excitedly debate the implications, merits and dangers of this new twist on the rules. Riku smiled to herself. "So, that's it…" she murmured. "One-shot disqualification? That just raises the tension. For Sakura- _chan_ to prepare such an amazing event before transferring out…."

Riku leapt on top of a low wall and brandished her staff. "Sakura- _chan_! I'll take your challenge! We will defeat you, and I will avenge Oga- _chan_ and my sister!"

Riku's declaration sparked the hearts of those who wavered around her, and they prepared to dive back into the 'game' again with renewed determination.

8-8-8

"What!? Kain- _sensei_ is leaving Mahora Academy!?"

"How did it come to that!?" Kanade demanded.

"Ah, well…" Chisame began, thinking fast. "A lot has happened, and that's basically what it's come down to. It's…a kind of bet, or a showdown, I guess…. Basically, if we (the participants) lose this Final Event game to the aliens' robot army, Kain- _sensei_ will end up leaving the school with Sakura when she transfers out."

"With Sakura- _chan_?" Kaoru asked, perplexed.

"No way!" Kanade said hotly. "What does Saku have to do with this!?"

"Huh? Ah, well…in fact…." _('Jeez, I can't blow our cover here…what can I say…why did I get stuck with the troublesome role…?')_ "Ah, that's right! If we lose this match, Kain- _sensei_ will have to become Sakura's fiancé! So you see, that's why they'll have to transfer out together…." _('...What the hell am I saying?')_ "So that's why, you know, the rest of us are all lending a hand to stop this from happening…." _('…Who would be idiot enough to believe such a pathetic lie…?')_

"That's serious news, Chisame- _chan_!" Kaoru roared. "Why didn't you tell us earlier!?"

"I knew it!" Kanade screeched. "Saku _is_ American, and she's planning to drag Kain- _sensei_ back to America with her and deflower him for her own personal pleasure!? She can't steal Kain- _sensei_ from us just because she has to return home!"

 _('Whoa, they believed it…?')_

"Kain- _sensei_ as Sakura- _chan_ 's…f-f-fiancé?" Kaoru seethed. "We can't let it happen!"

Chisame was feeling a strange sense of guilt from using this excuse to fool her classmates. "W-well, it'll be fine as long as we win…" she offered.

"Right, Chi- _chi_! We'll help out however we can!"

"Yeah! What can we do!?"

"Eh…yeah…well…nothing, really."

The two stared at her, silent and frozen, and then exploded again. "WHAT!? How can you say that after getting us all worked up!?"

"Yeah, well, now that I think about it, you two will just get in the way anyway…. Anyway, I can help out on the internet, do some, uh, cyber-terrorism against Sakura's robot army, yeah, but Sakura won't just let me do that, so…why don't you stand watch at the door and keep anyone suspicious out while I do my thing…."

She hurried over to the desk where her computer lay open and picked up her 'magic wand'. She stared at it. _('Well, after reading the instruction manual Ayase provided, I pretty much know how this works…but can a toy magic staff like this really do something like that? Tch, well, it's pointless to think about it. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't, and we're no more in trouble than we were already.')_

"All right, here we go!" she declared, and she began to chant.

"The barren nothingness, that is zero. The great spirit, that is one. The electronic spirit that floats on the water…I am the Electric Master!"

Suddenly Kaoru and Kanade jumped into the magic circle that was forming. "Where are we going? We have to come too! We'll help out!"

"W-whaaaat!? What are you idiots doing!?" Chisame barked as the magic began to envelop them. "What the hell are you coming in for!?"

"W-whoa, why's this all glowing?" Kaoru murmured.

"You can't leave us behind! We'll do whatever it takes to help out!"

"W-wait…!"

In an instant, the light enveloped them, and they found themselves floating…in a digital sea.

In fact, only Chisame recognized it as such, since she half-expected to go there, but the look of it surprised even her. They were floating, as if in a sea, and the air was thicker, like water, rather than space, but instead of digital information, magical runes drew themselves across the 'air' at irregular intervals.

"W-what is this place? What's going on…?

"Chi- _chi_ , what is this!?"

8-8-8

Kain strode forward, quieting his companions. "Erika- _san_ …we don't want to fight you…certainly not you. Why are you standing in our way?"

Erika stared back, but didn't speak.

"No reply, then…you can't give us a reason we can accept?" Kain shook his head. "If you won't move, we'll go through you, Erika- _san_. We're talking about the fate of the world here. We can't worry about personal agendas."

Erika flushed angrily. "Is that what you think?" she demanded. "Are you really going to let yourself end up like your father, Kain- _sensei_ …sacrificing everything for everyone else just because you have the power and no one else does? Sometimes…we have to make the hard choices…to decide what's really important. I've chosen, Kain- _sensei_. Are you at peace with your choice?"

Kain smiled slightly. "Funny you should mention that. Well, Erika- _san_? It's your move."

Erika stood there silently for a moment, and then nodded. Then she came charging in. Kain watched her impassively as she advanced, and did not move even when she stopped suddenly, 'stepped' next to him, and released the tools in her hands. Instinctively, the rest of the group dodged back, but Kain still was stoic and calm.

Erika leapt back away and the rest of the girls screamed his name as Kain was enveloped by the black sphere. When it cleared away, however, Kain was still standing there, completely unchanged.

"W-what!?" Erika demanded in shock. "H-how!? That's Sakura- _chan_ 's secret weapon! It transports the entire area it absorbs three hours forward, even if surrounded by a magical barrier, so how…!?"

"Have you forgotten?" Kain asked, fluffing the tails of his cloak. "My cloak is an artifact of time and space itself. I already used it to cast a similar spell once before. I'm been using the Chrono Trigger for several days now, and I've already witnessed Sakura- _san_ 's trap that sent me flying forward in time. You even used it on that master right in front of my eyes. Now I have more than enough experience and tools to deal with that weapon." He glanced up at her again. "Last chance, Erika- _san_. Just back down."

Erika gritted her teeth and readied herself again. Her eyes swiveled over the various members of the group, and then she seemed to make her decision. She raised a hand and power began to build…but then there was suddenly someone standing next to her, holding her by the wrist.

"Ayanami- _san_!?"

"W-what are you doing, Ayanami- _san_?" Erika demanded.

Rei half-turned her head towards Kain. "Kain- _sensei_ …all of you…go on. I will deal with Sendô- _sama_."

" _You_ will!?" Erika lashed out with a kick that forced Rei to relinquish her attack and step back, Erika retreated a greater distance, and hurled another little marble Rei's way. Rei put a hand to the ground and a piece of the concrete blew into the air and intercepted the marble. The black sphere arose, enveloped the concrete, and disappeared.

"I do not have Kain- _sensei_ 's tools to nullify that weapon, but I have been observing you and Miyu- _san_ use it together to eliminate even the master fighters and mages in this contest. It is powerful, but it detonates on the first object it contacts…it can be nullified simply by intercepting it. That will not work on me, either. Go, Kain- _sensei_ ," she repeated. "Sendô- _sama_ is my responsibility."

Kain turned and nodded at the group, and they started to hurry away. "Thank you, Ayanami- _san_ ," Kain offered.

Erika glowered at her foe as they disappeared. "You really believe you can stop me, Ayanami - _san_?" Erika demanded.

"If you believe a Servant cannot stand against a _shinsô_ vampire, you are mistaken. The difference in our experience is great."

Erika shook her head. "Tch. So, what are you doing? You're going to stop me on Kaya's orders?"

"No. I am doing this for me…and for Kain- _sensei_. This is my will. I am fighting for Kain- _sensei_ 's sake."

"What a coincidence…so am I."

The two charged together, their hands blazing with magical energy….

8-8-8

"The sun's setting!" Ami declared. "We have to hurry…Sakura- _san_ should be starting her ceremony any moment now!"

"Sakura has some kind of telepathy interference going full throttle," Kamo remarked. "It's sure troublesome…."

"Wait!" Akari yelled.

The group stopped dead…and stared as Miyu emerged from around a corner. She raised her gun arm to fire.

"Get behind me!" Kain barked. The group complied, and a swarm of bullets washed over Kain, enshrouding him in black. When they cleared, however, he remained.

Miyu lowered her gun. "As expected of Kain- _sensei_ ," she remarked. "You have already developed a countermeasure for the Time-Leap bullet. That makes this more troublesome."

"You're against us too, Miyu?" Kain demanded. "What do you really think about this?"

"My thoughts are irrelevant. Alyssa- _sama_ has commanded me to aid Sakura- _sama_ with her work. However, I am completely aware of the circumstances, and of the scenario that Sakura- _sama_ is trying to avoid. I think…yes, in this instance, my will is to aid Sakura- _sama_ in this endeavor. Given all the parameters, this is the only logical choice." Her gun retracted and reemerged as a sword. "My mission is to stop you, and I will do so."

"Is that so?" Akari and Kiami stepped forward. "Leave this to us, Kain- _sensei_ ," Kiami said. "The rest of you continue on."

"I wanted to fight Erika- _chan_ back there, but Ayanami- _san_ jumped in first." Akari readied herself. "Shall we go?"

Kain bowed slightly. "Very well…we're counting on you."

They turned and began to leave, but Yue paused. "Miyu- _san_ …a question, if I may…this future that Sakura- _san_ is trying to prevent…does it involve a threat to the survival of the earth…or the human race?"

Miyu regarded her coolly. "No. In all cases, the great evil will be prevented. The only question is how much suffering will exist in the future that arises from this struggle."

"I see." Yue smiled slightly. "Thank you, Miyu- _san_." She scurried off.

Miyu raised her blade. "Well then…Akari- _san_ …Kiami- _san_ …let us begin…."

8-8-8

Chisame was now dressed in the same lacy, foofy dress she wore when Kain dragged her out to the _sakura-_ viewing party months ago. Seven mice floated through the 'sea' and settled in front of her. "Chiu- _sama_ , we are at your command. We, the seven electronic spirit cluster regiment leaders, will obey your every command." Next to the lead speaker text appeared: 'Please Enter a Name: _ _ _ _'

"You're that electronic spirit I've been hearing about, eh…?" Chisame began. Then she did a double-take. "Wait a minute! In this day and age you're restricted to names of four characters!?" _('On top of that…electronic 'mice'….')_

"Because we believe that data should be compact."

"Ah, whatever…anything's fine. 'A' and 'B' or 'Tarô' ('First Child'), 'Jirô' ('Second Child'), and 'Saburô' ('Third Child')…. Even 'AAAA' would be fine."

The mouse balked. "Wha! Chiu- _sama_! That's too cruel!"

"That's right!" Kanade said. "You've got to have better than Hina- _chô_ 's naming sense!"

"Yeah, they're so cute!" Kaoru agreed.

"Then you name them." Chisame glanced to the side, where, at her mental command, a screen appeared, showing the inside of the library room. The bodies of Chisame, Kanade, and Kaoru were all piled together on the floor, unconscious. _('Our bodies stayed behind…so only our consciousnesses entered this netspace. This suit…I guess since it's all mental our clothes can be changed freely, eh? Well then…I guess this costume isn't very combat oriented…so!')_

She waved the wand and underwent a magical girl transformation. "Makeup Costume! Bibulio Rouland Rouge!" And then, after these dazzling magical effects, she was dressed in the outfit that won her the cosplay contest. _('This_ omake _item is surprisingly useful,')_ she thought, referencing the 'bonus features' now present in most anime. _('A dream function for a cosplayer…this might actually be a nice find….')_

"You look beautiful Chiu- _sama_!" the little mice exclaimed.

"Oh, it's that costume!" Kanade enthused. "From the other day. Nice!"

Chisame turned…and looked closely at the words now arranged over the heads of the seven mice gathered in front of Kanade and Kaoru. "Wait, you guys…those names…."

They were called Kincha, Hanpe, Konnya, Chikuwafu, Negi, Daiko, and Shirataki—all names for foods, and incidentally, foods that you'd find in an _oden_. And, for those with sharp minds, you may remark that most of their names are more than four English letters; however, this is a Japanese story, and Chisame is Japanese, as is her artifact, and the four letters allowed are _Japanese_ characters, which make much more complete names. Incidentally, this is the reason old Japanese video games only allowed you to pick four to six letters for names….

The mice, however, were quite proud of these names. "We have received these wonderful names from Kanade- _sama_!"

"Well, if you guys like them, that's fine."

"By the way, I'm still wondering," Kanade said. "Where are we, and what's going on here?"

Chisame had already begun her intended mission, which was to connect to the school's security system to battle against the hacker. The terrain had changed to a true sea, now, with all sorts of marine life swimming around them. Kaoru and Kanade were standing on a magic circle. Chisame was seated on thin air…or thin water…with several virtual keyboards and digital screens around her.

"Where is this place?" Kaoru asked. "It's so pretty—all these fish…."

"Well…I guess you can say that we're inside a game."

"Eh!? This is a game!?" Kanade sounded excited. "Amazing! It's more advanced than anything I've seen before…."

"Video games…I'm not that familiar with them, I admit, but they've gotten so advanced…."

 _(;Oh gods, thank you for making my classmates idiots….')_

"It's complicated and hard to explain, but basically, if we can win this game, it'll help Kain- _sensei_ in real life, too."

"Oh, I see, that's what this is about!"

"We'll help then, Chisame- _chan_!"

"No, seriously, you'd just be in the way…please just stand there and watch…."

The air…sea…around them flashed red, and warning and caution bars began to manifest around them.

"What's wrong!?" Chisame demanded.

"The enemy's automated patrol system has noticed our presence!" one mouse explained.

"It looks like most of the school's computers are under the enemy's control! The school's defense system is targeting us!"

"Open up that defense barrier program thing that was in the manual! That should hold them off for a bit!"

"Sorry, the operations haven't finished installing yet!" Daiko explained. A screen appeared, showing the load bar.

"Aargh! You guys are useless!"

Inside a similar virtual world, the Multiple Intelligential Yggdrasil Unit downloaded and installed to conduct the computer surgery opened a window showing Chisame's presence. "So, Hasegawa- _san_ , you have come," Miyu intoned. "I will be your opponent…."

A swarm of fish came sailing towards Chisame—the manifestation in this odd reality of a virtual attack program. Chisame wielded her programming powers within this virtual world like magic, calling forth systems to block, infect, delete, and counter the incoming data. It is an odd thing to try to describe—it is one part visual magical combat, one part fish puns, one part programming language and many parts confusing.

Chisame held her own for a time, but soon they began to be overwhelmed. And then she noticed that her two companions were also under attack by dangerous data in the form of fish. Chisame, getting an idea, created a pair of wands and tossed them to the girls.

"Eh? What's this?"

"Dorm Head! That thing the _kaichôs_ did at the event the other day, right? Do you remember that pose?"

"Oh!" Kaoru exclaimed. "This is the wand for that Mahô Shojô Bibulion! I know that anime!"

The girls shouted and posed, and transformed within the virtual space into the sailor-costumed magical girls.

Ah. Magical girl anime. Somewhere, Piro is missing out.

And they waved their magical wands, creating a wave of magical power that destroyed the offending data. Sometimes, as the shocked Chisame realized, all you needed was _baka_ belief.

More came and the girls continued to come up with attack names and blow away the offending fish. Chisame's mice cheered them on.

 _('Tch. They're not bad, of course…those_ bakas _really have the talent for cosplaying, too. They're doing surprisingly well…maybe I can use them as decoys or walls….')_

"Okay, you two! Follow me!"

"That's right! We won't give up Kain- _sensei_ to Sakura- _chan_!"

8-8-8

"K-Kain- _sensei_!? You're here!"

Kain, Yue, Nodoka, Ami, and Kazumi stopped and turned. "Kagome!" Kain leapt up the steps to her. "What's the news?"

"I-it's bad," Kagome admitted. She led them inside and pointed out Hinagiku, Mai, and Momo lying on beds.

"At first we were doing so well…then those weird time-jump bullets started being used, and we have no teachers left at all. Sakura- _chan_ even came out herself to take care of Takahata- _sensei_ …and then she did that to Mai and Momo and Hina- _chan_. It's bad…."

"Y-you've got to stop her, Kain- _sensei_ ," Hinagiku murmured, sitting up. "You're the only one who can…."

Kain glanced back out the window at the lights that were lighting up the sky from the continued combat. "Right," he agreed. "Let's go…."

The four girls shared a look, then Ami shook her head. "No, Kain- _sensei_. I think that we should stay here."

Kain blinked in surprise. "What?"

"W-we're not really fighters," Nodoka said. "We…we know that. Right now, we can't do anything. We'll just slow you down."

"We're relying on you, Kain- _sensei_ ," Kazumi said. "We'll stay here and try to help find where Sakura- _san_ is….."

Kain looked from face to face, then nodded. "All right then. I'll be going. Wish me luck."

He hurried out, but Yue followed him out. "Wait, Kain- _sensei_." As he turned to her, she continued, "Before, I saw you were having a bad dream, and I was worried you might still be unsure about what to think of Sakura- _san_ and her plot, but it seems you've already cut that uncertainty loose. So…."

Kain smiled and shook his head. "…No, not yet, Yue. I will stop Sakura- _san_. But…I'm still not sure whether it's the right thing or not. Yue…please let me hear your words."

8-8-8

A giant robot fought through the defenders and claimed the defense point near the lake. Up above, Alyssa and Jynx watched. "Uh oh," Alyssa chuckled. "One down. What will you do now, boy? Your team's losing, you know…."

"You think?" Jynx said. "Would you like to bet on it?"

Alyssa fixed him with a careful stare. "Are you planning to goad me into another bet and then go down there to interfere again?"

"No, no…I'm all done interfering. But if I thought Kain was going to lose, I _would_ go down and put a stop to them all. After all, even Sakura's bullets would be useless against me…."

"Hmm…perhaps, although that sword of hers would probably be completely useful." Jynx just shrugged. "In any case, it really doesn't matter to me who wins." She took a sip from a glass she filled with wine.

"So you have no interest in this situation's conclusion?" The principal alighted on the air nearby. "Ah…Jynx- _kun_ …it's been a long time…so, you really are here…." Jynx waved.

"It's you, old geezer?" Alyssa muttered. "Well, to be honest, it really doesn't matter to me whether or not magic is exposed to the world. It might make it easier for me, or harder, either way…."

"Is it _really_ okay? You won't get to see your cute apprentice anymore if Sakura- _kun_ 's plan succeeds…."

"…If that happens, that's as far as our tie of fate goes, that he's a man who could only go that far. Regardless, this experience is going to make him so much stronger. Now, get out of here. With two of you bothering me, my wine is _really_ going to start tasting bad."

"Don't say that," the old man said, sitting next to her and grabbing the bottle. "Let me in, too." He took a swig.

"Don't drink other people's wine!" She glowered at him. "In any case, why aren't _you_ going to go stop this?"

"I agree with Jynx. If the youngsters can stop this, they will. If they can't, they'll take responsibility for it."

Jynx shook his head. "C'mon, now, be honest. If you really thought Kain couldn't pull it off, you'd be down there helping."

"Well, maybe…."

And high above the grounds, within a hidden chamber, Sakura stood before a large pulsing magical circle. "Here we are," she murmured. "At the final stage. What's the matter, Kain? Aren't you going to come…?"

8-8-8

Erika and Rei bounced around the grounds, fighting, clashing, and repelling each other. For the first few minutes Erika attempted to use a few of those Time-Leap bombs, but Rei dealt with them all, and eventually it seemed she had run out.

It would have been hard for any observer to judge who was winning the contest, but to Erika, it was obvious—Rei was fighting hard, matching her blow for blow, but in all honesty, she was holding back. It wasn't out of reluctance, but simply because she had no care, no need, to injure Erika. Obviously, Erika wasn't enough of a challenge for her to waste her energy on….

This, more than anything else, truly aggravated Erika.

Her emotions had been high since yesterday, and now they were nearly at the bursting point. Finally, after one more exchange finally left them disengaging and observing each other, she burst out, "You just don't get it, Ayanami- _san_! You don't understand!"

"But I do understand," her foe replied calmly, still cool, still robotic. "I know that you are deluding yourself."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"But I do. You did not know I was Kaya- _sama_ 's Servant, but I have been watching you from the shadows all this time…all the more since we began school together, and more especially still since Kain- _sensei_ arrived. I have seen your dealings with him. I know that your vampire hunger desires him…more and more each day."

"W-what!? That's not…!"

"You can try to lie to others, but you cannot truly lie to yourself. You know why you have chosen Sakura- _san_ over Kain- _sensei_. You say it is for Kain- _sensei_ 's sake…that is only partially true."

8-8-8

 _[Erika stared up at the railing she had managed to grab. Grabbing it had hurt, but hitting ground below would have hurt worse, and in any case she would recover quickly enough. She used her superhuman strength to pull herself onto the walkway. She looked up. This shaft or chasm or whatever was impossibly deep—she could only faintly, by concentrating with superhuman senses, hear the battle up above, the sounds wafting lightly towards her. Getting back up would be nearly impossible, even for her…._

 _Better to investigate while she had a little peace. Maybe she could find Takahata-_ sensei _, or the source of these robots…._

 _She cast her tracking spell. Takahata-_ sensei _had been their teacher long enough that it was easy to find his signature…._

 _Ah. There he was…surprisingly close. She'd better hurry…._

 _"There you are," said a cheerful voice behind her. "Welcome, Erika-_ chan _. We should have a little talk…."_

 _She whirled around. There was Sakura, dressed in her_ shihakushô _and her_ haori _, smiling at her._

 _"Sakura-_ chan _…." Erika hardened her resolved and fully faced the girl. "Are you…really behind all this? What's going on here? What are you plotting?"_

 _"Oh? Plotting? Nothing too significant…just the exposure of magic to the entire world…."_

 _"W-what?" Erika blinked for several seconds in confusion and then narrowed her eyes. "Well, that would explain your reasons for encouraging this tournament. It's such a mind-boggling idea…but the real question is, 'why?' What would you stand to gain by doing that?"_

 _"Me? Nothing, really. My goal is simply to make things easier for Kain-_ sensei _. There are several byproducts of this outcome. You, of all people, should really be on my side, Erika-_ chan _. You would benefit as well…because of your circumstances."_

 _"Circumstances? What are you talking about? Oh, I see…you know all about…what I am, do you? Do you think somehow that if magic is exposed to the world, there will be enough attention on the Sendô family that my mother won't be able to keep me confined there? That seems a pretty slim chance to me."_

 _"That's not it." Sakura shook her head. "I'm not talking about your family. I'm talking about your personal troubles…as a vampire. Of the difficulty between you and Kain-_ sensei _."_

 _"D-difficulty? What are you…?"_

 _"I'm well aware of everyone's secrets, Erika-_ chan _…all of them. I know why you've had trouble with Kain-_ sensei _. I know because I've been watching you. You've been trying to keep it hidden, but the truth is, the closer you get to Kain-_ sensei _, the harder it is to suppress your instinctive lust for his blood. Or is that not so?"_

 _Erika tensed but couldn't deny the statement. Was this really Sakura? The girl who had befriended her the day they started middle school together? How did she know so much…? What was she…?_

 _"You know it's only a matter of time before it takes control of you…and yet at the same time, you desire to be near him, to be with all of your new friends, so you can't tear yourself away from them. You're trying to tell yourself that it's still a long way off, but it's only growing worse. But you still can't come up with a reason, an excuse, to separate yourself from them. Well, Erika-_ chan _, I can give you that excuse. I will reveal magic to the world._

 _"Kain-_ sensei _will be one of the ones held partially responsible, especially since he's doing so well in this tournament. He'll become a famous celebrity, the symbol of the new 'magic' that is being revealed to the world. They'll have to hide him away for some time. I've already made arrangements—spread a few rumors out. Avalon will take him in, to protect him, and he'll grow under the care of one of Kalan's companions. In a way, it's one of the best things for him. He'll be taken away from all of you…a sad fate, and one I can sympathize with, since my time with you is almost over as well. But isn't that better for you? You'll have a reason to be separated…you won't have to give in to your bloodlust and feed on him. You won't have to become a monster, and wound him so. It's your only hope…otherwise, very shortly, you will feed on him."_

 _Erika continued to stare. Finally she said, "This…do you really expect me to believe all this? What you're talking about…it sounds crazy…."_

 _"Try me and see," Sakura replied. "You know in your heart I'm speaking the truth…at least about your bloodlust. That's your greatest fear…the thing you can't escape. I'm not offering blind hope. Although he does not know it, everything I'm doing is for Kain-_ sensei _'s sake…so he won't, like his father, end up fighting a battle that will only delay the coming darkness and fall into a life, that, while noble, will ultimately be sacrificed for nothing." Then she turned and began walking away. "Follow me, and I'll show you the proof that I'm capable of all of this."_

 _Hesitating, Erika followed her. She led her to a large chamber, almost resembling a cavern greenhouse, filled with rows and rows of robots. "This is the army Caria and I have secretly constructed," she explained. "Obviously, an impossible feat. But I do the impossible all I want…it is my gift. I will change this world, not for any truly ideological reason…but so that Kain-_ sensei _will become the hero of a triumph, not a tragedy. Will you lend me your aid and help me accomplish this?"]_

8-8-8

"You're telling yourself it is to help Kain- _sensei_ , make him grow stronger," Rei explained. "But in the end, you're simply frightened…you are afraid that you will give in to the vampire blood you hate and feed on Kain- _sensei_. All you are doing is trying to run away."

"T-that's not true!" Screaming in rage, Erika dashed in and attacked Rei again. Rei fended off her attacks and then sent her flying with a kick.

"The question is, why do you insist on doing everything yourself?" Rei asked. "Why don't you trust your friends? Why don't you trust Kain- _sensei_?"

"H-how can I!?" Erika sobbed. "He…he's capable of so much…but this…he can't do anything about this…."

She collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face. Rei walked slowly up to her, and then, to Erika's surprise, she knelt down next to her and embraced her. "Do not worry, Sendô- _sama_. I believe in Kain- _sensei_. He will do everything he has promised to do…and he will help you as well, if only you will put your trust in him."

8-8-8

Akari and Kiami continued their battle with Miyu. For a short while after Kain departed Miyu attempted to return to her gun and hit them with the Time-Leap bullets, but Kiami created _bunshin_ to block them all. As Rei had remarked to Erika, the secret simply was to interpose something between you and the bullet, and Kiami had an unlimited amount of them.

Miyu was no ordinary android. She possessed a high level of artificial intelligence—she learned from all of her experiences, just as a human did, and she was constantly upgraded by Caria during her regular check-ups. In addition, during those check-ups that followed her battles she was adjusted according the battle data she gathered. In other words, she was stronger now than she had been when she fought Kain and Erika those many months before. And so she posed a difficult challenge for the two disciples.

Still, they were the disciples of the finest martial artists in Japan, and they themselves never ceased in their efforts to improve themselves. _Ki_ -charged flesh could prove a match for mana-charged machinery, and there were two of them.

"So, let me ask, Miyu- _san_ ," Kiami said during an exchange. "Why is Sakura- _chan_ 's goal so logical? Did Alyssa- _chan_ tell you that?"

"Alyssa- _sama_ cares nothing for this one way or the other, as I've said. If you are able to think logically, however, the answer is obvious. Kalan Lockeheart fought and defeated the Obsidian Star twenty years ago. That is historical fact. However, fifteen years ago he and his last remaining companions disappeared after a series of mysterious attacks in Arcanum Myrror. Five years later, over a half-dozen mages from this school that were sent to look for him also disappeared without a trace. Now traces of the Obsidian Star have appeared again. Despite his efforts, Kalan Lockeheart obviously did not completely eliminate them…and it would seem he perished, or was permanently imprisoned, in his attempt. It is Kain- _sensei_ 's destiny to continue what his father left behind. However, in his current state he is no match for the power of the Obsidian Star. Yet despite this he will move against them at the first available opportunity.

"Sakura- _sama_ 's plan, among other points, is purposed to deny Kain- _sensei_ the ability to pursue them until he is ready. It will create the ideal situation to finish molding him into the hero that will bring an ultimate end to the Obsidian Star."

"That's a very idealistic viewpoint," Akari commented. "But…I believe in Kain- _sensei_. I believe that, whatever foe he faces, he's on the path to being able to overcome them."

"I see. And this is the reason we battle. No more words, Akari- _san_. Kiami- _san_. We will finish this."

8-8-8

The time: 7:32 PM. Five of the giant robots have reached the magic concentration points and settled down to channel the tree's energy…five pillars of light now fill the night air.

"This is bad! The worst possible situation! We have received word that all the defense points other than the World Tree Plaza have been taken by the enemy! If this last defense point is taken, then it's all over! The End! Our defeat! Will our Magic Knight Brigade fall to the aliens' robot army? Were the new rules a little too harsh after all? Will the Final Day Event end with a disappointing finish and no winner!?"

"What are you talking about, Jinnai- _san_?" Riku cried. "We've taken out most of the robots here already!"

The remaining defenders cheered.

"We can't throw away our hope!" Nanami continued. "We still have a chance to recover, and that is to find and defeat the enemy's leader, Sanada Sakura, before the last defense point is taken!" _('Hmm…from what Kamo-_ kun _said, the big magic circle activates at 8:57 PM. That's if all the pieces are in place…it's too tough to tell, but we should try to end this before then….')_ "The final boss, Sakura, is waiting somewhere within the game area, outdoors, on top of a 30 meter diameter ground drawing similar to this image!" Said image was projected into the air for the contestants to see.

"Thirty meters? That should be way too easy to spot!"

"All right, let's go!"

"Hey, the cell phones just started working again. Contact everyone in the club! We'll comb the game area! We'll find her for sure!"

As Nanami reminded the audience of the great reward for finding and capturing Sakura, an almost forgotten trio appeared, running hell-bent for leather. " _RIKU!_ " they cried in shock.

Riku looked over. "Eh? Segawa- _san_? Asakaze- _san_? Hanabishi- _san_?"

"I knew it," Miki panted with a moan, "I should have just been an observer…."

"It's coming, it's coming!" screamed Izumi.

"The big one's here!" Riza finished.

Indeed, the giant Gundam-wannabe was approaching at a ponderous but unstoppable pace.

"I-it really is huge…" Riku murmured.

"All right, attack!" Keisaku yelled.

"STRIKE THE ENEMY!"

Streams of missiles and lights impacted the giant, but they seemed to have no effect.

Meanwhile, people were searching diligently for Sakura. There was a lot of confusion. She didn't seem to be anywhere…

High on a roof, Rakasu stood gazing up at the sky, looking around, her pink Haro floating next to her…and, around the grounds, Haros of many colors flew unnoticed in the chaos, searching….

But, back at the World Tree Plaza, despair was quickly mounting.

"How many times do we have to hit it before it dies!?"

"It isn't stopping!"

"The game balance is messed up, I tell you! It's like they don't want to give up the prize money!"

The monster opened its mouth and began to charge its beam. As the students recoiled in fright, however….

Something flashed through the air, creating a sonic boom that washed over the participants, causing them to stagger backward. It impacted the giant mecha, and, incredibly, it toppled over…falling into two pieces. As the smoke and dust cleared, a comparatively tiny figure hovered in the air.

The girls glanced up in shock. "K-Kain- _sensei_!?"

Kain glanced over and saw an advancing army of robots coming from the other conquered points. He settled onto the ground. "I guess we should make sure to take these out, too…."

8-8-8

Haro suddenly started bouncing up and down and chattering excitedly. "Rakasu! Rakasu! She's been found! She's been found!" Then it closed its wings, opened its 'mouth', and projected an image…of a large airship, high in the sky.

"Ah, is that so? Well, we better pass this hint on to someone else. It wouldn't do to let the sponsors take the best prize money…."

8-8-8

"There are a lot of them, Kain…you want to do this alone?"

Kenjirô and two others stepped up next to Kain. "About time you joined the action."

"Kenjirô! Kaji- _kun_! Tsukino- _san_!"

"The final, most powerful hero unit, Kain Lockeheart, runner-up of the True Battle Tournament, has appeared! With him are his three samurai assistants! These swordsmen, all hero units, bring renewed hope to our chances! Fight on, Magic Knight Brigade!"

"It's been tough out here," Kenjirô remarked as they moved into the battle. "Luckily, Kaji- _kun_ 's power still works to prevent Sakura- _san_ 's magic bullets from skipping us ahead…but we had a scare." He shook his head. "Are you ready to face her, Kain? I admit…the one good look at her I got before, she scared me silly. She even took out Takamichi- _san_ …."

"I'll manage," Kain replied. "I have to."

"Well, let's get this over with," Kajirô said. "I'm already tired of the fighting. Some peace and quiet would be nice…."

"It's a rare opportunity," Hikaru mentioned. "I shall have to show the masters my training has gone well…."

8-8-8

"This is Mahora Academy's Aviation Department President, Nanaka Earhart!" proclaimed the girl aboard the biplane, flying over the school. "I have visual confirmation of the target! It's Sanada Sakura!"

There she was, high above, on top of that airship.

Kain was battling close to the stand where Nanami was doing her announcing. "Kain- _sensei_!" she called.

Kain paused and turned. He glanced back at Kenjirô, who nodded. "Get up there. We'll handle this…Sakura- _san_ is yours."

Kain nodded and hopped up next to Nanami. "She's been found on an airship 1,500 meters up above the World Tree!"

"F-fifteen hundred meters?" Kain marveled. "Why so high? Well, I understand. I'll take care of her. Here I go!"

"Wait, Kain- _sensei_!" He paused and turned back to her. "You do realize what you're doing, right? Fighting Sakura- _chan_?"

Kain smiled. "I believe so."

"Good. Then go on."

He blazed into the air at high speed, and the crowd below cheered him on as Nanami announced to the world that the ultimate hero unit, Kain Lockeheart- _sensei_ , was off for the final showdown with the Archvillain, Sakura Sanada.

8-8-8

"Synchronization with the 12 Holy Lands of Earth and the Moon is complete," Caria announced. "All that's left is to occupy the final concentration point at the World Tree Plaza."

"Good. Okay, Caria…begin the final incantation."

"The complete incantation will take 11 minutes and six seconds. Is that all right?"

"It's fine. Do it."

Caria paused. "Is this really the right thing to do, Sakura- _chan_? …This entire time, it seemed like you've been expecting… _hoping_ Kain- _sensei_ would stop it at any moment…."

Sakura stared at her, then perked up and smiled suddenly as she closed her eyes. "Yes…well…it seems that the time has finally come for that. The final decision regarding the enactment of the plan…will be made by him."

Sakura turned around to admire the figure as he lighted upon the top deck of the great airship. Caria stared at him in shock. "K-Kain- _sensei_!"

"Sakura- _san_ …and Caria!"

"You finally made it here, Kain," Sakura said cheerfully. "We finally stand on the same stage. So, what is your decision? Will you really stop me?"

Kain fixed a solid, stern gaze on her. "Yes, Sakura- _san_. This time, I will beat you. Your plan ends here!"

"Good. That's what I hoped you would say." Sakura stepped forward. "Well, since this is the final confrontation, it is customary for captains of the _Gotei_ 13 to properly announce themselves before a combat between equals. Captain of the 3rd Division of the _Gotei_ 13 of the Mistworld, Sakura Johnson. Kain Lockeheart…show me your mettle!" she declared, drawing her sword.

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: The Final Battle_

 _And here it finally is! Everything will be decided here! We've learned a little bit more about Sakura and her real desires, and now, in this next chapter, everything will finally be revealed! Once again, there's too much excitement to worry about my ramblings! I've very carefully led everything to here, and so no more needs to be said. Fight!_


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Chapter Six: Dreamer of Dreams, Act Six: Dream On, Dreamer

"Let's take this off the ship," Sakura requested. "So that we can fight without endangering poor Caria."

"Right." Sakura 'stepped' into the air, heading straight up. Kain flew after her.

Finally, the two faced each other, swords drawn. Sakura saluted Kain with her sword. "Now, we can really begin. Sleep deeply, _Yume no Musôka_."

While Sakura released her _zanpaku-tô_ , Kain activated his True _Kanka_. He carefully observed the new weapon as Sakura prepared it. _('An invisible sword? No, not quite invisible….')_

Sakura dashed in, and Kain flew in to meet her. They exchanged blows, Kain's blade clashing with the invisible sword Sakura wielded. It was fierce and unrelenting, and Kain couldn't know just how evenly matched they were in this state….

No…he could…she was still….

"I'm impressed," Sakura announced as they locked swords. "You're doing so well against a sword you can't see…your memory is quite good."

Kain didn't reply, but instead suddenly reached out and grabbed her _haori_. As her eyes widened in surprise, Kain hurled her away. She toppled and fought for a purchase on the air, and Kain launched a powerful bolt of energy her way. She slashed it aside with her sword, but Kain followed in after it, pressing his attack with renewed fierceness.

Finally Sakura managed to fend him off and step backwards in a retreat. "Well, well," she said carefully, with a small smile. "You're certainly more determined than you were last night. You're so convinced that you're in the right? You're so determined to destroy my dream that you're willing to cut me down, with no remorse or second thoughts?"

"Your words have mocked me, but I'm not buying any of it anymore," Kain replied. "I've had a good, long time to think about this. I've given it careful consideration. I have no idea whether the world you wish to create is a world of good or evil, whether your actions are right or wrong—but why should I believe that they are just when you don't even believe that yourself?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

8-8-8

 _["Logically speaking," Yue informed Kain, "there is an instance where we_ must _cooperate with Sakura-_ san _."_

 _"Yes…as you asked Miyu, if she is trying to prevent an extreme disaster, that is to say the annihilation of the Earth or mankind."_

 _"Correct. In that case, it's obvious that we must support Sakura-_ san _and do everything we can to help her plan come to fruition. Other than that, I do not believe that there are any reasons that warrant as extreme an action as changing history—of changing the future. That's why I asked Miyu-_ san _…so I could make certain that Sakura-_ san _'s plan was not this extreme._

 _"Sakura-_ san _'s plan is to avoid some smaller tragedies by giving magic to the world…she believes that it can only help improve people's lives. From a logical perspective, it is probably true…we could only say that, despite the new and horrific weapons it has given us, advancing science has only served to better our lives. Magic would similarly enrich all of mankind…but it is a simple, common thing. Mankind is not doomed without the power of magic._

 _"But why now? If Sakura-_ san _wanted to prevent tragedies, this past century has any number of terrible tragedies that would have made ideal moments for her to change. The two World Wars, for example, or any other event…perhaps even the war in Arcanus Myrror I keep hearing about. Why this time? What is so important about this moment?"_

 _Kain noted, "From what Takamichi said…next week…Sakura-_ san _said something about doing all of this for my sake. So that I can face the darkness that…overcame my father. I'm not sure what she means by that, but...if it were something so important as to save my life, she would probably have made that one of the main points of her explanations. However, she did not, so I believe that, really, her intent is only to make things…more convenient for me. But go on."_

 _"Yes…if we did have the opportunity to save Kain-_ sensei _from a future death, your students, all of us, we might be inclined to fight on Sakura-_ san _'s behalf…but…." Yue removed a locket from her shirt, a tiny little medallion, and flipped it open to stare at the picture inside. She said a silent prayer for the old man within, quite quickly, then shut it and continued, "Even if we can prevent such disasters, the deaths of millions of people, or even the deaths of loved ones—is that really sufficient reason for overturning the history of the whole world? …No, I cannot believe it to be so. Whether it's happiness or sadness, or even unacceptable tragedies, once they have occurred, they are all part of the past, part of the reality we must accept. People simply must stand on that and walk on._

 _"Perhaps Sakura-_ san _has experienced or witnessed a tragedy that we cannot even imagine, and believes that it can be avoided; even so, it is her tragedy—and even if it is to avoid someone else's, it is not a reason to change the whole world. It may sound cruel, but it is simply her ego that wishes that power. It is her own selfish desire._

 _"Furthermore, of course, there are problems with the actual implementation of the plan as well. We have no idea what kind of butterfly effects…."_

 _"Please, Yue, wait a moment," Kain interrupted, raising his hand._

 _"Eh…?"_

 _"I have…thought carefully about all of those things…I've been thinking for a long time, and I also considered everything you've talked about. But, the main point is…if Sakura-_ san _'s plan succeeds, we might be able to save many lives…perhaps millions. No matter how you think about it, that is a net outcome, perhaps the main net outcome, of Sakura-_ san _'s plan. As long as that fact exists, I cannot…deny Sakura-_ san _."_

 _Yue stared at Kain in shock. He continued, "Furthermore, if you say that it is selfish of her to change the past because she doesn't like the way the future will turn out, you could say the same of us. Sakura-_ san _isn't even of this world…you could say that that weakens her position all on its own, but it's frivolous speculation to worry about that…she cares about the future of this world, regardless. She 'saw' our future and decided to set it on a different course, but it was merely a vision…not events that had happened, not if we take her at her word. We, on the other hand, were thrust into a future that we did not like, and forced our way back to the past to change it. You can argue morals on both sides of this issue, and without effect, because they are both completely separate instances…but at the very least, if you talk about butterfly effects, we are far more likely to be guilty of instigating them. But as for Sakura-_ san _…she told us she was a time-traveler, and that she was going to change the future. If she had not told us she was trying to change a future, implying that is was existent, would you deny her, if she still claimed to be wishing to bring magic to the world to save millions of lives?"_

 _Yue's eyes widened at the implication of Kain's words. "K-Kain-_ sensei _!"_

 _"Even if we find fault with Sakura-_ san _'s motives, or her implementation…we can't deny her desires so easily," Kain continued._

 _Kamo, sitting on Yue's shoulder, actually snickered. "So, Kiddo, are you saying Sakura-_ chan _'s right? You saw the future…you lived the future. If Sakura-_ chan _'s plan succeeds, you'll be forced to leave the school…the best you can hope for is that Lina breaks you out before you get turned into an animal and the two of you run around as carefree fugitives the rest of your lives…."_

 _"Kamo, the duty of mages who live in the world of normal humans is to use our magic for the benefit of this world and its people. Is that not a fact? If I am punished…even if the mages at this school are punished…if that's the only price to save so many lives, isn't it worth it?"_

 _"W-wait!" Yue cried. "T-then…are you saying you want to…to join Sakura-_ san _!? P-please wait! You're seriously…you can't be thinking clearly! It's a hollow argument! To throw away your life and future for the sake of some unknown person is…."_

 _Yue trailed off. Kain met her gaze sadly. Yue rallied with a new supplication. "Then…w-what about Nodoka…? What about your reply…to her feelings? Weren't you going to reply after she graduates…? Are you going to join Sakura-_ san _and leave this school!? What about Mai-_ san _, and all your companions!? What about…m…." Yue choked; tears began to roll down her cheek. "…Me?" she meekly finished. "Or everyone else from our class? Are you just going to leave us all behind?"_

 _Kain was silent for a few moments before he countered, "I do want to be together…with everyone…but isn't that also just a selfish desire…?"_

 _Yue's eyes flew open wide. Then, out of nowhere, she slapped Kain. Kain didn't reply or react, just turned his face back to her, and she began to panic as her rational mind caught up with her emotions. "I-I-I-I'm sorry, I-I just…!"_

 _"No, it's all right."_

 _"What a stupid thing I…!"_

 _"No, please don't worry about it. Perhaps I deserved to be slapped after saying such things."_

 _"B-but! D-did it hurt?"_

 _"Ah, it's nothing to worry about. You're stronger than you look, but…."_

 _"I-I-I'm sorry, I…!"_

 _"No, please don't worry about it. Now, please listen a little longer. Don't worry…I have no intention of joining Sakura-_ san _. Despite everything I said, I have very clear reasons for not joining her."_

 _"Eh?" Yue asked, confused. "W-we haven't even talked about them? What are they?"_

 _"The real reason I can't is…that she's never asked me to."_

 _Yue stared. Kamo began to laugh. "W-what?" Yue demanded._

 _"As I said, there are many ways to argue on either side of Sakura-_ san _'s plan. Personally, I have many reasons to believe in her objective…not only for the lives saved, but simply because, to me, someone who grew up with magic, it's only natural to think about it. Some people like Chisame may not like the idea, but the thought of the whole world being aware of magic, of not having to hide myself or my abilities…that alone is appealing to me. But, despite teasing me with statements, asking if I thought I was on the right side…Sakura-_ san _has not once asked me to join her. She has not tried to sell her plan to me. She has convinced Caria, Miyu, and Erika-_ san _all to join her, through some means or other, and Alyssa doesn't care, but she hasn't even acted as if she_ wanted _me to be a part of it…and this despite the fact that she told Takamichi she was doing it 'for my sake'. Not only that, but she has gone out of her way to go easy on us. You may not believe it, but she has had ample opportunity to eliminate any and all of us, to give her plan a better chance for success. The night of the second day, Momo and Mai attacked her, and she fended them off easily…without doing anything to them. She fought me, and disarmed me, but didn't try to stop me or convince me to leave her alone. All she's done is goad me on._

 _"The fact is…I believe that she does not even believe in her plan herself."_

 _Yue started again. "B-but…but she designed that elaborate trap that sent us into the future, so her plan would succeed! Why would she do that if she didn't want it to do so!?"_

 _"I don't know. Maybe she was hoping that we'd succeed and return. That's my best guess._

 _"But in any case, I have to stop Sakura-_ san _…she has contrived this elaborate scheme and put so many inconveniences on all of us, and she doesn't even care about succeeding…I can't let that go. I will go and put a stop to this nonsense and let the world run the course it must run on its own, let all our lives go the way they must go…and then I will find out what she's_ really _after. And then…we'll see."_

 _He smiled. "Thank you for your words, Yue. You were…an encouragement to me. I'm glad that, at least, I have your support and understanding, so…I'm not just acting on my own selfish whims. If enough viewpoints support someone's opinion, after all, that is when it ceases to be 'selfish'."_

 _Kamo laughed again. "But popular support doesn't make an 'evil' act 'good.' If Sakura-_ chan _really is intending 'good' from her plan, then to oppose it would be 'evil', no? You think way too much, Kain. The lines aren't that easy to define, you know. I'd say that opposing her for the reasons Yuecchi described would be closer to 'good' than just doing it because she's snubbed you. But, as long as you have a reason to fight, that's all that matters."_

 _Yue finally managed to return Kain's smile._ ('What a foolish thing I did,') _she thought_. ('Lecturing Kain- _sensei_ about good and evil. He has…much more experience with matters like that…but in the end….') _"I understand, Kain-_ sensei _. You're wrong, Kamo-_ san _…it's not because she snubbed him, but because she isn't dedicated to her own cause enough to make it a reality. It's beyond just giving us a fair chance or asking for an opinion…if she has really acted like this, she's taunting us, daring us to stop her…and no one intending 'good' would do such a thing. Either her real actions are evil, or she's trying to get us to stop her and this has all been…a game or something to her. Go on, Kain-_ sensei _. We're putting our trust in you. If this is your will, we will accept it, regardless of the outcome…and if, in the end, Sakura-_ san _does convince you that she's right, I'll make sure everyone understands you did what you thought was best. Before you go, I have one last message from Takahata-_ sensei _…from the future."_

 _It was Kain's turn to stare in surprise. "He said, 'Even if you fail, it doesn't mean the world's going to end. You don't have to feel responsible for everything. Don't try to shoulder the whole burden yourself.' That's his message."_

 _Kain's smile was peaceful…perhaps the most peaceful it had been since the Festival started. "Thank you."_

8-8-8

"I will deny you, Sakura- _san_ ," Kain proclaimed. "I will not accept the will of someone who does not even believe in her own actions! You claim you have a marvelous plan to help the world…but you aren't even thinking of success. You're causing chaos for no reason. I won't let it continue. I will stop you here."

Sakura stared at Kain, then smiled. "My, my, my indeed," she clucked. "I seem to have set you off a little more than I intended. Very well. This is for the best, after all…it _is_ what I wanted. To fight you without holding back, to see what you're really capable of. Come then, Kain Lockeheart, son of Kalan Lockeheart. Come break my fragile will if it is so weak."

"I will," Kain replied. "But I would like to know one thing. Why _are_ you doing this? What are you really after?"

Sakura's smile deepened. "I'll tell you after you win."

 _('After…? Not 'if'…?')_ "It seems you're still not planning on fighting me seriously, though. Why don't you at least use your famous ' _Bankai'_? All captain-class Soul Reapers can use it, can't they?"

"Yes…with one exception in the history of both Soul Societies, all captains have been able to perform _Bankai_. However, my _Bankai_ can't be used right now. Rather, I'm already using it."

Kain blinked. "What?"

Sakura presented her sword. "My sword, _Yume_ _no Musôka_ , the Dreamer of Dreams, is perhaps the most powerful of all _zanpaku-tô_. It is, first of all, not invisible because it bends light or any such thing…the blade itself is a dream. Its form, length, and properties are not set, and can be anything I like. I haven't shown you yet, but I'll give you a spoiler—I can make it any length I choose, and can even 'bend space' with it, I can have it attack you from behind with a swing or thrust from back here. It can also pass through inanimate objects or hostages without harm and still wound my foes. It exists only as I like. Likewise, its main power is the _Yumekei_ , the Dreamscape, which turns the world around me into my personal dream where I make the rules. I can do or undo anything in this world…including death.

"Pretty powerful, isn't it? There really can't be anything already more powerful than that kind of _Shikai_ , right? Pretty much correct. My _Bankai_ is called _Kami no Yume_ , 'God's Dream', and it allows me to overturn laws of reality, allowing me to travel between worlds, between time, anywhere I wish. You could say it makes a dream of me a reality in some other universe. That's how I came here. I'm only here because of my _Bankai_ , because it is keeping me in this reality. It's already almost used it up…it would have gone long ago if not for the mana of the World Tree. Normally we Soul Reapers can't use mana, but since I'm just a dream anyway, I'm an exception. But I'm still reaching my limit, and after the tree flares, there certainly won't be enough around to keep me here.

"Now, with my Dreamscape, it's almost impossible for you to defeat me, even assuming you had the power to do so. But you don't have to defeat me to win. The spell I'm trying to cast has three parts—first, the energy of the World Tree is the main catalyst. My sword is currently acting to transform that energy into the power needed to work the spell, and to put it in the shape I desire. Caria is doing the third part, since I can't cast mage spells—she's doing the actual releasing of all that power and energy. I am actually the most vulnerable part…if I use enough of my fleeting power that I can't serve as the spell's intermediary before it finishes, it will fail, plain and simple. So I have to defeat you and get that last mech in place to complete the spell before I run out of energy. Time is your side, Kain."

"And yet you're talking to me instead of defeating me so you can do it," Kain muttered. "Again, it seems you honestly don't even care about your own plan."

"Ah! It is so!" Sakura giggled. She pointed her sword—probably—at Kain again. "Well, let's get to it then, shall we?" She launched herself at him.

Kain fell backwards and floated down underneath the first swing, then came up at Sakura from underneath. The action seemed to surprise her, and she almost didn't dodge the attack. As she retreated, he came swooping around the side. She stepped behind him, but he somersaulted in midair so that he was facing Sakura, upside down, and fired off another powerful magic bolt. Sakura blocked it with a quick spellshield of her own, but in the ensuing explosion of smoke he disappeared.

This time she managed to parry the attack that came in from behind, but Kain was much lower than she was and his sword came at an odd angle. Kain shot straight into the air and sent Sakura flying with a kick.

"So troublesome," she muttered. "You've noticed the difference, then?"

"You're standing on the air, while I have to fly to stay up here," Kain replied. "Standing and such gives you much more familiar, normal maneuverability and an advantage to reactions in combat, but since I'm moving more or less freely through the three dimensions, I can come at you in ways and from angles even you haven't trained for."

"Well…not so freely, not from human opponents. I'm actually used to fighting things that fly, not just walk on air, but they usually have wings, with all the advantages and disadvantages they give. Well, at least you're making this interesting." She charged in again.

8-8-8

Somehow, a screen of Kain's and Sakura's battle was being broadcast for the remaining participants. They were cheering on Kain as he fought the girl.

(Incidentally, the footage was courtesy of Haro. Hooray for floating robot mini-computers.)

The giant was regenerating, but the continuous fire of the participants kept its regeneration slowed to almost nothing. Right now, everything was at a stalemate until Kain and Sakura's battle was decided. Nanami, giving the blow-by-blow, reminded everyone about this.

"Looks like we've won," Kamo remarked.

"But…the fight's still going on…" Yue protested mildly.

"At this point, although it looked bad for a moment, time is on our side. Only Sakura- _chan_ can get the big robot up and into position in time for the spell to go off. Kain just has to last that long…or until Chiucchi breaks down the hackers keeping the barrier locked up. If she can get that back online, they'll all shut down and there won't be enough power for the ceremony. Cheer up a little, Yuecchi. It's turned out all right in the end."

"…Yes…but I'm also feeling confused."

"Oh? Tell your _aniki_ [big brother] about your troubles."

"It's true this decision was a close one. But Kain- _sensei_ already thought it all out so thoroughly…I was quite immature. I must reflect on my actions…."

"Oh, did Kain's worrywart habit infect you too? I kept quiet because I wanted Kain to make his own decision, but the truth is that there are larger laws in play regarding the shifting of worlds. Normal people aren't supposed to mess with them. As someone sworn to the cause of right, I can't let it go, because it actually is true…this world is not supposed to be put on that kind of track, at least not yet. Sakura- _chan_ , even if she is a 'slider', doesn't have the right to mess with this world to this degree, especially on a mere whim. No matter how good her intentions are, the side effects and root reasoning are all flawed. However, I think Kain was right…she's just playing a game here. Her real intentions are something different, and she _wants_ us to defeat her. Otherwise, I think she'd have come up with a better plan…."

"…I suppose so. Either way, this question is so far beyond children like us…."

She started and stared wide-eyed as the Sakura in the viewing screen began a savage counter attack.

8-8-8

Sakura was quickly adjusting her combat style to counter Kain's free movement. She was on the move constantly, changing the level upon which she stood and predicting his movements with incredibly precise foresight. She was beginning to make use of the abilities of her sword she had alluded to earlier, as well.

After another blade lock, she threw Kain off, and he retreated a space. However, Sakura swung her sword back around again, despite their distance, and Kain managed to block the invisible blade as it flashed towards him. She chased him down again, and as they exchanged blows, he moved to parry another strike, but her sword began to pass through his blade without slowing or stopping. In that brief instant Kain stepped backward, and only the slightest cut traced across his side. This time, as he retreated, she raised a hand toward him. " _Hidô_ 89: Megaflare."

The blast lit up the night. Everyone below saw the flash, and murmured anew about what kind of fabulous display this was.

Kain reappeared some distance behind Sakura, breathing heavily. Sakura turned back to him with a smile. "Excellent dodge. Your speed has certainly improved. Every battle, every difficulty you've encountered so far has shaped you, honed you…you are already far from the naïve little child who first took over our class."

Kain glared back at her. "Well, 'naïve little child'…I suppose that may have been accurate. But how old are you, really? Soul Reapers are supposed to be nearly immortal…."

"Still quite young for Soul Reaper…nearly 150, perhaps. Around the same age as Momo is now, in fact." She raised her sword again. "Well, let's continue…."

Sakura dashed in again, and Kain dodged her blows. He didn't trust his sword to parry hers any longer, not unless he was desperate, so he was careful, defensive, offering token strikes but not leaving himself open.

"Come now, Kain," Sakura cooed. "You can't beat me by acting like a scared rabbit. I know the abilities of my sword may be a little overwhelming, but you can do better than this…."

She then stepped behind him, lashing out with a terrible kick…but her kick slowed to a crawl as Kain's cloak flashed.

"You're right," he replied somberly. "I can do better…and I've been busy."

Sakura gave a look of surprise, then returned to her usual smile. "Well done…but do you think that this little spell can hold me?"

"On its own, no." Kain fluffed out his cloak and his staff fell out of it and into his hand…and so, also, came the Chrono Trigger. The egg suddenly flashed open and began to churn with power. It created a field that surrounded Sakura as Kain flew back away.

"The Chrono Trigger…you've made some adjustments to it," she noted pleasantly, still in mid-kick, her leg moving forward in a glacial arc. "It was quite drained by helping you come back…but I guess it has enough for one last spell?" The egg began to crack and fracture into pieces as the energy built and swirled around Sakura, caging her, and finally disintegrated into a mist that became part of the whirlwind of energy.

"That's right…it's enough." Points of light began to appear in the air around them, forming a magic circle with Sakura in the center. He planted his staff in the air, as if in the ground, and stood as he let go and raised a hand towards the gem that crowned the staff. "Fire and Water. Heaven and Earth. Love and Hate. Light and Shadow. Law and Chaos. All things of the universe, gather together in one and let your power come forth. Ultima."

The circle gathered together all the power, channeling it into the space around Sakura and igniting it in one massive explosion. Once again the sky was lit by the spell, and Kain strained to stare through the ensuing smoke. Finally a smoking form began to fall from the remains of the explosion….

And then it was all gone. The smoke, the form, the remains of the power…as if it had never happened in the first place. "That was a pretty good spell," Sakura remarked from behind Kain. "That hurt. There isn't anyone who wouldn't be hurt by that spell if you can hit them with it."

Kain turned back to her. "So…that's your power to rewrite reality, then?"

"That's right. Of course, it's almost gone." Kain could swear that part of her suddenly began to look translucent, just for a moment. As he began to stare harder, she became solid again.

 _('In fact, that just about did it_ … _')_ Sakura thought. _('It's nearly time now. Yes, but….')_

Kain charged in this time. Sakura fended off his attacks, and then kicked him away. While he recovered, she put a hand up to her ear. "Caria? It's me…."

She turned back to Kain as he approached. "Time's almost up, Kain. Can you defeat me before it runs out?"

Kain brandished his sword again. "Well, I guess we'll see…."

8-8-8

The crowd stared in awe once again as the last of the giant mecha finally fell to the ground and ceased moving or trying to regenerate. One by one, the other five at the various points around the tree suddenly slumped and stopped streaming their pillars of magic into the air.

"Is that it?" Mai mused. She, Momo, and Hinagiku had finally recovered enough to return to the World Tree plaza, and the last of the fighting had finally finished.

"Yes…but it seems they're still going at it." Rather than looking at the view screen, Momo was staring up into the sky, where the flashes of light marked the battle between the two above.

"But…why?" Hinagiku wondered. "Shouldn't it be over now? Why are they still fighting?"

"They still have something to fight for," Kenjirô remarked, coming up from behind. "They still have to settle matters…each of them desires it. They have become enemies, so they have to settle this…as warriors…."

8-8-8

Erika watched as the lights winked out. "Is that it?" Erika murmured. "Kain- _sensei_ …stopped her…?"

"I am not sure how much is owed to Kain- _sensei_ directly," Rei replied. "Much is owed to our classmates as well. Yet they would not have come this far, without Kain- _sensei_ to guide and inspire them…."

8-8-8

Akari and Kiami panted as they stared at the expressionless, unfeeling robot. All three were disheveled, clothes torn, dried blood and bruises spattered across them. Then Miyu suddenly retracted her arm blade and turned away.

"Eh? What?" Akari demanded. "What's that…?"

"I think the day is won," Kiami murmured, staring out at the sudden darkness around the tree. "Isn't that so, Miyu- _san_?"

"Yes. Hasegawa- _san_ overcame my program within the school's system, and it seems Sakura- _sama_ no longer has the power to change matters. The day is yours. But…." She stared up at the sky. "The final battle continues."

8-8-8

 _('It's over. Chisame-_ chan _succeeded…she was able to re-initiate the barrier around the school, shutting down all the mecha. I don't have the power left to unmake that reality…and even if I did, I wouldn't have the power to finish the spell…._

 _('But it's not enough. Not quite yet. Not while I still have time…I have to see just how far he can go….')_

Kain deflected Sakura's attack and swung his staff around in his off-hand. Sakura leapt over the strike and brought her sword down. Kain dashed away, and Sakura unleashed another spell at him. He knocked it away with his staff, then charged in again, swinging both his weapons. Sakura knocked both attacks away and then counterattacked.

Neither had enough energy left for more than a few token spells. It was simple weapon strikes, simple swordplay. Kain could no longer use his True _Kanka_ , but Sakura had slowed to the point where they were still on nearly equal footing.

 _('What really drives her?')_ Kain thought. _('What does she want after all this? Why is she fighting…just to fight?')_

Sakura knocked Kain's staff out of his hand, then followed with a thrust. Kain dodged aside and brought his sword down in a savage overhand slash. Sakura's blade came up to meet it…but Kain's sword fell without resistance and slashed across Sakura's body.

A subtle, bemused smile spread across Sakura's features as Kain's eyes widened in shock. "And that's it," she muttered. "Well done…just lasting this long is an accomplishment. It's all over…." And she began to fall towards the earth.

"Sakura!" Kain shot down towards her and grabbed her arm, stopping her fall. "W-what…?"

"What are you doing, _baka_?" she scolded cheerfully. "I'm just a dream…a dream that has run out of life. My time here is done, but I'll just awaken back home. Don't waste the last of your precious energy trying to save me, or…." Indeed, the girl's body was seemingly starting to grow more and more translucent.

Suddenly there was a flash of light from the World Tree. It reached its apex, flared off its energy, and a wave of white light briefly swept over the entirety of the school grounds. "W-what was that?" Kain asked.

"That would have been the forced recognition spell, but we couldn't complete it," Sakura remarked. "It seems Caria did something else with it. I wonder what that spell was. More importantly…seriously, Kain- _sensei_ …you should really let go before…."

Then the last of Kain's power finally drained away, and they both suddenly started plummeting to earth.

Kain screamed in frustration and a touch of fright, but pulled Sakura protectively close to him….

And then their fall suddenly stopped. Kain opened his eyes and looked up in shock…into Mai's bemused face. "It looks like you did it. Congratulations, Kain- _sensei_."

"Mai…what is…?" He glanced under him to see a massive white form. They were riding….

"Over there, Kagutsuchi," Mai instructed the bird. "That side of the lake…that looks like a good place to settle down…."

8-8-8

Sakura unsteadily stepped off of the great bird, being supported by Kain and Mai, and looked at her hand. It was surprisingly solid. "Well, well," she muttered. "I guess I have just a little time left…."

"That's good," Kain said with a smile. "After all that…you owe me an explanation, Sakura- _san_. You promised to tell me everything after I won."

"Yes…so I did." She stepped forward and stared away from Kain, out at the lake, as Mai dismissed Kagutsuchi. After several seconds of silence, Sakura suddenly asked, "What if you had the power to go anywhere, to any time, or any place? What if you had this power that I have? Well, of course the first thing you would do is…retrieve your father, we could say. But, other than that? If you could go to other universes?"

She raised her head and sighed slightly. "All of this…was born of many whims. Like my father before me, I feel out of place in my home world, which is ironic, because the world we inhabit is the escape he made from a dull and boring 'normal' life. Our world is a savage one, where death and oblivion stalk the inhabitants of our mirrored worlds, flesh and spirits, and we are constantly fighting to preserve life. I…hate death, and fighting, and such things, so I wish that I could go to somewhere, somewhen else. Of course, I have the power to do so. And yet…romantic as I am, I mostly find myself drawn to times and places where I can participate in the heroics of stories that my father tells me. For some reason, it just didn't seem…right…to use my power to go to a normal, peaceful world like the one I always wanted.

"But then I came here. I was drawn to it…because of your father, because of you, because of the parts the twain of you play in the destiny of these worlds, both Earth and Arcanus Myrror. And to observe it, I…made myself a part of this class. I did very little with the two years I was preparing…at least, from a normal Soul Reaper's point of view. I did little enough of that work. These two years…were so amazingly fun and fulfilling. A normal life…a normal girl's life…as silly and dull as some find it, it was all I could have wished for…."

"But even though I stayed far longer than I thought I could, thanks to the power of the World Tree, I could not stay here forever. So I wanted to go out with a bang…make something memorable of myself. Make a difference, most of all. This silly plan…you're right, I never really wanted to see it through. Although magic can indeed help people, although it's normal for me to grow up in a world with powers and see the help it can bring, it just seems…nice, this little niche that science and a lack of magic has created. But I needed to make you stronger, Kain- _sensei_ …I had to make you grow, so that you'll be strong enough to face the trials that are coming. So that you can save this world."

Sakura fell to silence, and Kain waited for a moment before asking, "Why me? Why on earth did I attract your attention? Why is it me who has to save this world?"

Sakura smiled. "Because it's your destiny. That is not to say that you have no choice in the matter. Destiny is brought about by the choices we make…knowing that this is your destiny merely means that, because of the world you live in, and how you will react to it, you will arrive at a particular place. Sometimes you can see the destination, but it's just like hopping on a plane or a train—it will eventually take you to some place. If you wish to try to escape that destiny by leaping from the vehicle, you are still free to do that too…but it often isn't worth the price that comes with it. Because you are the son of Kalan Lockeheart, and because you seek so earnestly to find him, you will walk his path until you encounter his enemy. You have already had a taste of them…the next time, it will be a true battle, and, despite all your growth, you were not ready. Had my planned future come to pass, you would have been safely sequestered away until you finally grew to that point…by the time they appeared, you would have become ready. But the other hope…my real hope…was simply that becoming such an enemy for you to face, by forcing you to battle me, you would grow stronger, get another little boost, get closer to the stage you have to be at to face your father's enemies.

"Of course, the tournament was designed for that purpose as well. Thanks to Jynx' interference, it turned out better than I hoped. You're strong now, Kain…maybe not yet as strong as you need to be, but you should at least be close enough that you can avoid the unhappy futures I've gazed at.

"I'm sorry, Kain, but that's really all…just the little whims of a girl running from her own realities and interfering with other people's. That's all any of this was…and now it's over…."

She frowned and gazed down at her hand, which remained suspiciously solid. "Come to think of it, I should have already faded away and gone back home by now. Why am I still here?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask," Caria said brightly, suddenly coming into view and startling the trio. "I figured you wouldn't end up going through with it, so I prepared a separate spell to take its place. So when you called and said…."

 _"Caria? It's me. The power's been broken…I can't finish supplying the mana for the spell. Go ahead and let it go."_

"…I changed the spell around and used the power that had already been gathered, along with the tree's final discharge, to cast this. You're grounded in our reality again, Sakura. Not for very long…probably only another few minutes…but at least long enough to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? You mean…."

Pelting over the hill towards them…was the entirety of the Class 3-A. "Even those that got hit by my time-jumps," Sakura muttered. "Has that much time really passed…?"

"Sakura- _chan_! Sakura- _chan_!"

"Caria- _chan_ said this is it, the last time we'll get to see you! Are you all right?"

"Eh! All that blood on you! Are you really okay?"

"Man, that last event was awesome! It was so much fun! What a way to leave us, Saku!"

"You…all of you…." Sakura began to cry. "What are you doing here…?"

"You need to say goodbye properly," Caria said. "I know you wrote letters for everyone, but it's not the same as doing it in person, right? They'll still get them. I know you wanted…to leave as a villain…but you've created too many good memories with us. For a few more minutes, you're our Sakura- _chan_!"

Sakura sighed. "Fine, then," she murmured. "I have a few words for everyone. Starting with you, Caria.

"Thank you for supporting me all through my crazy ideas. I know you benefited more just from developing new gadgets and such, but still, I appreciate all the help you gave me.

"Miyu. I'm proud to be part of your development. Don't forget you're part of this class too…think about everyone, and don't just spoil Alyssa.

"Alyssa- _chan_ …all I can tell you is that you'll be out of here before you know it. Don't disparage anything you've done for Kain- _sensei_."

"Erika- _chan_ …I'm glad I got to spend so much time with you over these last two years. I'm proud to be your first friend…and I'm sorry for what I've put you through during this Festival. I can only ask that you forgive me.

"Riku- _chan_ , Risa- _chan_. You're so different, but you're good sisters, and good friends. Take care of each other, and…both of you, don't let your dreams cloud your vision….

"Kaoru- _chan_. The same goes for you. Keep at them, but remember, you have to study, too.

"Kanade- _chan_. Don't be too mean to Kain- _sensei_. Keep doing what you do…this class needs your energy.

"Izumi- _chan_ , Miki- _chan_ , Riza- _chan_. Ah, you three are always together. Stop making things so hard on Hina- _chan_ , all right? She has enough to worry about…even more so now….

"Nanami- _chan_ …thank you for your support. Don't sell your soul too cheaply, all right?

"Yukari- _chan_ , Matake- _chan_. You're such good friends…keep supporting Kazumi- _chan_ , and keep up your own dreams. And Kazumi- _chan_ …don't worry, you really do belong in that circle.

"Rakasu- _chan_ …don't ever change. Keep singing those beautiful songs. You have no idea how many people appreciate them.

"Yuki- _chan_ …keep an eye on everyone for me, all right? I'll be counting on you.

"Rei. Keep at it. I think you'll rediscover how to live.

"Chisame- _chan_. Well done. You were marvelous tonight. It's the start of a bright future for you, although I'm sure you don't want to hear that.

"Ami- _chan_ , Yue- _chan_ , Nodoka- _chan_. The world you've found that you love was almost given to everyone. But remember it could always be taken away. Don't neglect the gifts you've been given.

"Akari- _chan_ , Kiami- _chan_ …you've entered a world few masters get to tread. You'll find so much more than you expect down this road.

"Hina- _chan_. Thank you for everything you do. This class depends on you so much. I'm sorry I didn't help you out with it as much as I could have…but now, it's all yours. I wish you the best.

"Kagome- _chan_...you're on the path, but you still haven't found your destiny. But you know the direction it lies.

"Mai- _chan_. You, on the other hand, are so much closer to where you've been. Don't be afraid of it. It can only help you.

"And Momo- _chan_. I'm sorry I was so cruel to you before. I'm glad to see how you've grown. You're a fine lady, a true jewel, and you should never be ashamed of who you are, or what you've done. Just learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward." As she spoke, Sakura actually moved forward and embraced the girl who could almost be her twin. The move shocked her, and all the watching class as well—the Japanese, especially, were a people who did not engage in such open affection.

Releasing Momo, Sakura turned to her teacher. "Last of all, Kain- _sensei_. I'm sorry I was such a troublesome student. I hope…yes, I hope you'll remember me fondly. I can't promise that I'll ever come back, but I hope I can…I hope I can see the kind of future you'll make. I hope I can someday see your wife and children. Whichever girl you decide to share your future with…make sure you treat her well. Make sure you're as worthy a husband and father as my own father is. That's the most important of all."

Kain flushed at that comment and coughed. "Ah…r-right…um…."

"That…a lot of that sounded like fortune telling!" Risa exclaimed. "Were you giving us fortunes as going-away-presents, Sakura- _chan_? Why weren't you in the club?"

Sakura smiled. "Ah, yes…they are kind of fortunes. They're what I know, but that's all I can do for you…."

There was a cough in the air above. "If that's all, then, Sakura- _chan_ , we should be going."

The class turned and stared up at the man standing in the air. He was dressed similarly to Sakura, and appeared to be in his early-to-mid twenties, and had two swords belted at his waist. "Minoru- _kun_ …" she murmured. Then she smiled. "So, we're going back, together, then? I guess there's no more appropriate way than this. But, first I have one last thing to do…."

She turned back to Kain suddenly, stepped up very close to him, and then, quick as lightning, gave him a light and gentle kiss on the cheek. Unbeknownst to those around—unperceived even by him—a ripple went through his body, and his organs, muscles, tendons, and all that was inside of him that had been torn to the breaking point by over an hour of constant use of True _Kanka_ , vital pieces of anatomy that had been held together this entire time by her power without his even knowing, all righted themselves and settled into their proper places, as if nothing had been done to them in the first place.

As the entire class stared in shock at this bold and mysterious action, she hopped into the air and stood next to Minoru. She turned and waved at them all. " _Bai bai_ , _minna_!" she declared. "Best of luck to you! I love you! All of you!"

Minoru smiled, then turned away. He drew one of his swords and stuck it into the air…where it actually disappeared up to a few inches from the guard. "Unlock," he intoned, turning it over like a key.

A white circle, about two meters in diameter, suddenly appeared in the air around his sword. Then the image of a pair of old feudal Japanese doors appeared, and they slid aside, creating an open portal to…somewhere. Two black butterflies emerged from the portal and hovered around the two Soul Reapers.

"Let's go, Sakura- _chan_ ," Minoru advised her. "Everyone's waiting for us."

"Right." The pair stepped into the circle and disappeared; the butterflies followed them, and then the doors closed and the space disappeared, leaving no trace that they had ever been there. Thus they finally passed from the life of Class 3-A.

8-8-8

The doors opened again, and Sakura and Minoru emerged into their familiar world. Sakura stared in surprise at the figure seated at her desk. He was dressed as they were in the black kimono and white captain's _haori_ (sleeveless, in his case) but otherwise, with his fair skin, carefully-groomed red hair, parted on the left, and shining blue eyes, he could have easily passed for an older Kain. He turned as the two appeared. "Ah, there you are. Welcome back, Sakura. How was your trip?"

Sakura smiled demurely. "It was…satisfying, _mon père_. Enlightening. I'm sorry I was absent…."

The man waved the apology away. "Even if it was longer than usual, you haven't missed anything too important…although you should probably apologize to your apoplectic lieutenant for worrying her. Are you ready to resume your duties?"

"Yes, of course…but…first…I'd like to see Mother…."

Her father fixed his gaze on her for a few moments, then smiled. "Very well. I see a bit of the dream has come with you this time. Keep on dreaming, Dreamer."

Dreams can inspire, teach, satisfy, thrill, and torment us. But eventually, everyone has to wake up from the dream.

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: Final Character Portrait: Sakura Johnson_

 _Well, here we are, finally! We have one chapter left to wrap up and show everything that happened to those off-camera during Sakura's final moments, but here we wrapped up Sakura's role in the class' fate. And, so, we finally get to find out who she really is…Sakura Johnson…._

 _By now everyone might finally have an inkling of who she is. And this part, honestly, fills me with a bit of embarrassment, but my valiant readers who have borne with me so far deserve this, of course…._

 _Well, to begin, I should say that I believe I already explained a bit about my wild imagination. I create personal versions, 'fanfictions', if you will, of literally nearly every show or anime that I follow with any seriousness. All of them, of course, feature my own unique characters, and most of them have versions of myself in them, what me (or character/heroic versions of me) would do in these worlds and universes. Within the libraries of my mind, among others, there is a ninja, an NCIS agent, a Britannian noble with Geass, several Gundam pilots or even designers, even sometimes ghosts and such. Naturally, Bleach, being one of my very favorite fictional universes, had a world I created…several of them, in fact, depending on my whims. But the main fictional world of Bleach that I envisioned consisted of me and my younger sister in an odd whimsical decision while I designed the world. Usually it's only me in these universes, sometimes with my friends in incarnations with me, but in this instance, since my sister and I were having so much fun reading Bleach together, I thought it would be fun if the two of us were drawn into this world. We were out together one day—perhaps going to lunch together at Grub's—when a giant hollow suddenly appeared and started attacking the area. Naturally, this was impossible, so we decided it was a dream, and matter-of-factly changed ourselves into Soul Reapers so we could help the familiar Soul Reaper that was battling it. It was surprisingly difficult, but we defeated the hollow and then collapsed. We awoke to find ourselves in the Soul Society—it had_ not _been a dream. And it was roughly forty years (we guessed) before the start of the Bleach manga's regular events. From Soul Society's point of view, a spatial distortion between worlds suddenly appeared in the Seireitei, and the 5_ _th_ _Division was sent to investigate it. They had gone through to somewhere (and somewhen, it turned out) interesting in the world of the living, and then we had suddenly appeared to help one of their members, Momo Hinamori. After we collapsed after the battle, we were taken back to Soul Society, and the spatial portal went away, as mysteriously as it had appeared. Well, now we were stuck there—with all the knowledge we had about the storyline, up to the point when I first decided to create this fantasy (around the middle of the final battle for Karakura town). We were conscripted into 5_ _th_ _Division, and spent the next forty years keeping our foreknowledge hidden and waiting for the appearance of Ichigo Kurosaki. To make a long story short, we had many adventures as Soul Reapers and participated in the great battle with Aizen, and more besides._

 _And then, as I noted in my first introduction of Sakura, I spawned another random crazy idea from this idea. The backstory to the Mistworld, as I keep referring to, is that, after 100 years or so, Ichigo has passed on as a mortal and become a regular Soul Reaper as well, and suddenly another rift between dimensions opens in the Soul Society, threatening to tear the world apart. Six valiant officers volunteer to go through and find the source of the rift, and close it, which they do—but in the process, they have to stay behind in the savage, primitive world on the other side. In the process, they met the wandering swordmaster hero Nash Soetheby, originally from my personal Final Fantasy IV sequel story, who has now become a Soul Reaper, and he decides to establish a proper Soul Society to watch over the Mistworld, since it is also plagued by hollows and such, and even more nasty monsters that prey on mortals. These six become his first officers in his new Soul Society, and by Sakura's time it has finally grown to a force approaching that of the original we're familiar with, including all thirteen captains and officers._

 _Now, Tite Kubo does not feature romance in Bleach. There are some characters, who, naturally, have strong feelings approaching romantic inclinations towards other characters, but for actual romance, there is none; this is because Kubo himself does not believe that he can write believable and entertaining romantic plots, and he does not believe that his largely_ shonen _readers care for them. I similarly have a terrible time with romance, even though I am romantic at heart, because my will is so weak I am easily embarrassed. Even in my personal thoughts I am embarrassed thinking up and planning out romances. Seriously. So for this Bleach saga, even though my sister and I naturally gravitated to and befriended our most beloved Soul Reapers (Tôshirô Hitsugaya and Momo Hinamori, respectively, of course), it was easy to say that we were not actually involved romantically in any way with them—since everyone in Bleach mostly ignores romance. And also, since we're nearly immortal, living hundreds of years, it's very easy for all four of these characters to ignore whatever feelings they have, telling themselves that there will always be time for that…eventually…._

 _However, as I designed the future Bleach Mistworld scenario, I decided that, since this is several hundred years later, eventually whatever feelings the versions of us and our respective friends felt had finally blossomed into true romance, and they had married. Ronnie and Momo have since had two children, both of whom have become captains in the Mistworld's_ Gotei _13\. Sakura is their oldest, their daughter, and they also have a son._

 _I started out, as I often do when I do any kind of writing on a story, with making notes, and most of my notes, for this future Bleach and for the original Bleach fanfiction universe, I wrote character bios in the format that they use on the Bleach Wiki site, describing their appearance, personality, history, powers, and participation in major events of the Bleach story. And as I said, when I went future I did the same thing, describing the captains, beginning with Captain of the 1_ _st_ _Division, Nash Soetheby. My sister, I decided, had become Captain of the 2_ _nd_ _Division in this new unit, and Sakura was the 3_ _rd_ _(which is about as far as I've gotten with the full-on descriptions so far). As I designed Sakura for the story, I fell in love with the little girl, with her power, and with her playful but pacifistic attitude, and decided that, with the power she wielded, she and her ability to have all sorts of adventures would become the main character and focus of the Mistworld's fanfiction stories, if ever I should write them. And that's why she suddenly became the perfect character to steal Chao's place as the time-traveling Festival villainess. She's found this world with Kain—one of the (many) alternate universe versions of her beloved father, and, fascinated with him and his story, settles down to see what she can do. Rather than getting in his way by saving the world for him, she opts to become an obstacle in his path, a stumbling block to force him to grow. Well, after all this nonsense she contrived as an excuse (she likely has knowledge of the hauntingly familiar Negima universe, LOL), mission succeeded._

 _I should explain more about Sakura's sword, since its power is so…incredible. Once again, it comes from something I saw in a manga that I became obsessed with, it was so fascinating. In this case, it was the power of Izanagi from Naruto, first demonstrated by the villainous Danzo using the eyes of the Uchiha Sharingans that he had harvested. Just as Sakura's Dreamscape works, it allowed him to undo reality, turning it into an illusion and making everything that happened that he didn't like, including his own death (Sasuke kills him over and over to no effect), not have happened. Of course, it came with a heavy price—the eye that uses Izanagi eventually closes, never to know light again. Sakura's power is greater and more constant, and without such a hefty drawback—okay, maybe it's a bit cheap, but she's a hero (normally), and it's not completely all-powerful…Bleach has, more than anything before except probably DBZ, had more than its share of nearly all-powerful beings. Anyway, as I said, I grew obsessed with that cool reality-altering power around the time period, and gave it to several different beings, including my creation for the Shakugan no Shana universe, Mi-na the Dreamer of Dreams, Flame Haze of Elodos the Wishmaster, whom I also put into the Magiverse. I toyed with the idea of Ronnie in my Bleach version inventing a_ kidô _that would do the same thing, and using that to battle Aizen before I shelved it. I just dug it out again and dusted it off to give to Sakura's_ zanpaku-tô _, and then enhanced the blade portion of it, making the blade itself a dream, too. Oh, yeah, and then I gave that sword to my dad as his personal artifact in one of my GURPS campaigns…._

 _Anyhow, that's enough about Sakura. I plan to have her come back at some point, mostly for a cameo, final battle help-type situation, but that will be far in the future. From now on, it's up to Kain and the rest to do their thing._

 _And now the Festival is coming to an end. I've had lots of fun with it, and had some good random changes and some rough ones, as I mentioned. I think I didn't mention, for instance, during the tournament, that originally the restrictions in combat were against blades and projectile weapons (guns and bows, apparently, but not thrown weapons, or at least not the coins Mana Tatsumiya flicked at supersonic speed in replacement of the guns she normally used), not summoning. Ironically, the character I threw out, Takane Goodman, actually relies on summoning magic, so it was convenient that I always planned to change her out for Tear. But anyway, I didn't want the sword restriction because of the greater amount of swordsmen in my lineup. While Hinagiku and Hikaru would have been fine with bokken, Kenjirô and Momo would have been severely disadvantaged without their blades. So I threw that out, noting that 'real' master swordsmen can control their blades enough to strike people down without cutting them. Also, the main point of that rule, besides restricting Mana, who doesn't exist in my version, was to get Asuna kicked out of her match. Asuna's artifact was the magic-canceling giant sword, at least on her card, but, with her memory gone and her full power restricted by that loss of memory, it normally manifested merely as a_ harisen _, an iron fan. However, as she battled under the influence of Colonel Sanders, parts of her memory were coming back more strongly, and she suddenly manifested the complete sword…and was thereby disqualified. That awakening of past memories is important to the character, so for her replacement, Mai, I wanted the same thing to happen. Mai, however, doesn't get a sword (her My-HiME artifact—and Child—are so much cooler magical toys for her to use), so it was doubly pointless to forbid them. The best way to have her snap into a mode that required disqualification was to make summoning the forbidden act ("Real fighters fight their own battles") and have her summon Kagutsuchi under the influence of her partially-awakened scary self. Of course, while this all worked out, in some ways I shot myself in the foot by forbidding summoning, since I changed Colonel Sanders' "I transform myself into other people" book to Jynx' "I summon awesome heroes" scroll for his part in the tournament. Oops. So to save that, I had to have Jynx do fancy maneuvering and subterfuge to hide the fact that he was summoning, and thereby making him technically a cheat. But it was all for a good cause…erm…just like Sakura…._

 _Well, I'll save the rest of my tournament change notes for the next chapter. Let's get this thing finished, shall we?_


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: None of the anime used in this story belong to the writer. This is a work of fiction done for fun, not money. Please do not sue. You won't get much anyway.

Chapter Seven: One More Night

While Kanade and Kaoru used their virtual magical girl powers to battle Miyu's attacks, Chisame typed furiously at the virtual keyboard, using computer programming to construct what was essentially the magic formula of a powerful data-based spell. Chisame would have been surprised at how similar to computer programming high-level spell designs were.

"Ch-Chisame- _chan_!" Kaoru panted. "S-still not ready yet!?"

"Please bear with it a little longer!" Chisame barked. "In just a moment I'll reconstruct the school's barrier system, and all those giants will shut down, too!"

She turned to her helper mice. "How much longer until the beginning of the resonance?"

"About three minutes!"

"Three minutes? Plenty of time!" She turned back to her work and typed with renewed vigor as she shut down Miyu's viral systems and reconstructed stalwart defenses. "I won't let magic be scattered into our world! I don't want a world where dreams and reality are mixed up!"

"Dreams and reality?" Miyu's voice broadcast in her ear. "It is interesting you should say such a thing. Sakura- _sama_ 's very power is to interchange dreams and reality…resisting that power is futile. It is a power she intends to use to bring forth dreams of happiness and dispel the reality of sorrow. Is that really worth resisting? And should someone like Hasegawa- _san_ , who flees to her virtual world because she cannot take the reality she must face everyday…should someone like that even be trying to oppose this?"

"Hmph!" Chisame replied. "Well, this world is screwed-up. It has its problems. It has annoyances, and it can even be worse than that. But I don't feel I have the right to judge whether the dream of magic or the reality of science is better for the people of this world. If I can't please everyone, I might as well go with my own feelings…and as crappy as this world can be, I still prefer it to a world that overturns everything I'm familiar with! What do you think of that, Miyu? I really don't know if that world is a dream or a paradise, but I will do what I must…I will protect my reality! I won't let you do as you please!"

Chisame hit the final keystroke dramatically as she finished her monologue, and the program finally took effect, sweeping away all the vicious, attacking fish and breaking the walls around them. Now it was just Kanade, Kaoru, and Chisame…and a form of Miyu standing in front of them. She regarded Chisame blankly as, slowly, she began to disintegrate.

"Well done, Hasegawa- _san_ ," Miyu granted her. "You penetrated all my systems. It seems that you and Kain- _sensei_ have won. This program is finished. You had better head out if you want to see Kain- _sensei_ and Sakura- _sama_ before the end…."

"W-wait!" Chisame stuttered. "What's happened to you!?"

"Do not be concerned. My real body is still out there right now. This is merely a copy of my artificial intelligence, programmed to wage this cyber war. Now that I am defeated, this program is ending. Now, go on…." And Miyu's form finally completely vanished.

"We have to see Kain- _sensei_?" Kanade suddenly put in. "Before…the end? What does that mean!?"

"I don't know…but I guess we better find out."

8-8-8

The crowd cheered as the giant robots shut down and the power ceased. They weren't sure what was going on above—Kain's big spell had completely blown away the poor Haro attempting to film the event for them—but the robot army seemed completely defeated. Nanami took her place to make the announcement.

"Well, _minna_! The aliens' robot army has been vanquished! The World Tree has been saved! (And I might be getting ahead of myself, but I think I can safely say) Kain Lockeheart has triumphed over Sanada Sakura, leader of the evil aliens! It is thanks to you, as well, that we have this triumph! And that means…as the Academy's Magic Knights' Brigade, this is our complete victory!"

And with perfect timing, the World Tree flared off its final blast of energy into the sky, and the light actually rippled outward from it like a shockwave, rolling over the academy. The students started as the light flashed through them, but there was no other effect, and they quickly just chalked it up to a kind of special celebratory firework….

And at the time of the flare, out at a field near the academy's wilderness, people began to pop into existence.

"W-what is this?" Gandolfini demanded. "What happened to us?"

"A forced time jump," Takamichi explained. "Apparently special MagiTech developed by Sakura- _kun_ and Caria- _kun_ , powered by the World Tree—and therefore only useable during this Festival. So, we've been sent forward several hours…."

"I-is that possible…? That's…such a dangerous weapon…."

"Hmm, that didn't turn out like I planned," McTavish muttered as he and Meia got their bearings. "Well…it seems we've been out of it for a while, whatever happened. Did we win?"

"I wonder," Meia replied coolly, glancing around.

The other masters began to appear as well. "Hmm," Michael Armstrong rumbled. "Stopping that bullet with my fist didn't have quite the effect I thought it would. Where are we?"

"How embarrassing," Keisuke Ogata remarked. "To avoid the sniper only to let her steal my attention so that the mysterious little blond girl was able to blindside me with that strange bomb…."

Risa and Matake popped into existence and looked around, wide-eyed. Spotting Takamichi, they dashed toward their former teacher. "Takahata- _sensei_! What happened? The event…?"

"It seems to be over already."

"What!?" Risa screeched. "Over!?"

"It seems that those who were disqualified from the game are being freed now," he continued.

Gandolfini called for his attention again. "T-Takahata- _sensei_ , what about Sanada Sakura!?"

"Don't worry, Gandolfini- _san_." They turned to see Seruhiko approaching…after the defeat of all his _senpai_ , the man had wisely (perhaps a bit cowardly) lain low and had survived to witness the final triumph. "Kain- _sensei_ and his friends took care of everything."

"Wha…really? Kain- _kun_ …did that…?"

Meia smiled slightly. "As expected of the son of the Grand Archmage. I guess perhaps he was the only one who could…."

"How long were we out of it!?" Risa demanded of anyone who was listening. "What time is it? Is the Festival over!?"

"The night is young," replied Zhou Xiang, glancing at the evening sky. "It would seem to be around nine of the evening."

"Oh! Then, the last night of Festival…."

"It's just begun!" insisted Matake.

Then both girls started and removed their cell phones. They had received texts simultaneously.

"From Caria- _chan_ …?"

"Meet at the edge of the lake…for Sakura- _chan_ 's final sendoff!?"

They hurried away.

McTavish watched them go and chuckled to himself. "Ah, the concerns of youth," he murmured. He glanced at Meia. "Well, it seems the fun is over and the crisis is averted, so we can relax now…and the night is, as my colleague pointed out, still quite young. Would you like to share a drink with me, my lady…?"

Meia gazed at him coolly, then smiled slightly. "Perhaps one drink…on a night like this…."

"No, no, one won't do!" crowed Gracia Peres, throwing her arms around the pair as she suddenly barreled up behind them. "No way we're living this down! We have to party and drink until we drop! Like there's no tomorrow! Let's see if you Mahora teachers are tough enough to survive nine Brazilian parties in a row…."

8-8-8

The principal sighed with feeling and sunk with visible relief as the energy pulsed from the tree. "Thank goodness," he muttered. "I guess he pulled it off…."

"Never doubted it," Jynx chuckled. "Of course, I don't know if that Sakura- _chan_ was serious or not…."

"She was serious," Alyssa chuckled evilly. "Oh, I don't think she really wanted to overturn the world like that, but she was serious about putting Kain to work. If Kain hadn't done his very best…if he ever gave up or faltered…she would have ended it all and gone through with it, just to force him to grow up. She's got a strong will…much stronger than Kain's…more like Kalan's….I wonder…."

"What's that?" the principal demanded.

"Nothing." With her power at its peak, her full demon senses replaced those of the mortal body to which she was confined, and she had learned…interesting things about Sakura in that time. She sighed and began to slowly drift to the ground. "It was fun being unleashed, but now, with the barrier back up and the tree's mana waning, my power is leaving me as well. Oh well…."

Jynx followed her down. "It's the same for me…this body won't last much longer. Don't forget to come visit me with Kain…."

She glanced at him and smiled. "Don't worry…I won't. You still owe me quite a bit of explaining…."

8-8-8

After seeing Sakura off, the class returned to the big party now being held in the main plaza in front of the World Tree. Since this was the school's party, there was no alcohol present, but presumably the teachers were off having a party of their own somewhere…very few were at this party.

"Seventh place," Keisaku bragged. "Not bad, eh?"

"Beat me at 10th," Tanaka sighed.

"At least you got something," Matake said. "Since I was disqualified, I lost everything…it's so unfair…."

"Unfair?" Risa muttered. She pointed at her hated rival. "What about Miss _4_ _th_ there?"

All eyes in the vicinity swerved to pierce the guilty party, as Riku, exhausted, lounged in a chair trying to enjoy some food. She turned to glance back at them. "Hmm? What?"

"F-fourth place!?" Tanaka asked, awed. "Er, Harada- _chan_ …what did you win?"

"Three hundred food tickets…."

"That many!?" Keisaku marvelled. "Such a difference between 4th and 7th…I only got 30…."

The pairs of eyes flashed and suddenly Riku found herself surrounded.

"Riku- _chan_ , our dear friend," Riza said jovially.

"We just heard some _great_ stories," Miki added.

"They're doing all-you-can-eat BBQ at the high-class restaurant Jojo's," Izumi noted. "Only 10 food tickets per person!"

"Surely the great champion Magic Knight Harada Riku wishes to share her windfall with her twenty-plus fellow valiant defenders of the school…?" Riza opined.

"L-like hell!" Riku barked, and fled.

Riku's escape and the Baka Trio's pursuit ended up having the same effect as a thrown axe in the Mended Drum…being the ignition spark of the usual pointless brawl. They bumped some macho _shonen_ who turned and blamed a hated rival neighbor, and pretty soon an all-out mêlée ensued. Takamichi, one of the few teachers hanging around to chaperone, spotted it and began to enter the fray, his eye glinting demonically. "My, my, you kids are really quite a handful," he murmured.

"Ah…T-Takahata- _sensei_ , please go easy on them," Seruhiko begged.

Soon enough the combatants realized that 'Death Glasses' was in their midst, and the riot was quickly quelled. Mai, Momo, Kagome, and Hinagiku watched the chaos in bemusement.

"It's the same thing every year," Mai sighed.

"Maybe I'm just seeing things, but it seems 3-A is a source of agitation," Momo noted.

"D-don't say that!" Hinagiku insisted. "It's just…our class is…rambunctious…."

"That's putting it mildly," Kagome agreed.

Mai sighed again. "But, this time…I was really of no help at all…I even got taken out in just one hit…."

"That's not true," Momo insisted. "I got taken out in one hit, too, but…sometimes, that's how it goes…."

Hinagiku shook her head. "I'm more inclined to agree with Mai- _san_. How can we expect to fulfill our duties and support our friends and our teacher if we can't help when it matters the most…?"

"I-I really think we resolved this with everyone's help," Kagome insisted. "Without all that you guys did, we might not even have made it back to this day, right?"

"That's probably true," Momo agreed.

Mai glanced over at Kagome. "Now that I think about it, where's Kain- _sensei_?"

8-8-8

The Festivities continued for all well into the night and only began to cease once the sun readied herself to make her reappearance at the start of the new day. Only the tiniest sampling of the craziness they were engaged in could be offered, so we've little else to say about them.

And a small window at the teacher's side.

The two women slammed their glasses down. They stared unsteadily at each other. "You're pretty good," Gracia told her opponent. "Keeping up with me this far…."

"Ha!" Yukiji replied smugly. "Don't underestimate the teachers of Mahora Academy! Next round? Do we double it again?"

"Right. What are we up to now? The loser owes the winner 100,000 yen?"

"That's right! One more time!"

Their glasses were filled, and they took their shots….

Some people have their own means of amusement….

8-8-8

The pillars had been set up near the edge of the lake for some forgotten purpose early on in the Festival…some cultural demonstration or other. Now, with most of the Festival over, they were abandoned…except for the figure who sat on top of the largest in the predawn light. Kain just sat there, staring out at the water, thinking….

"You're thinking about Sakura- _san_ , aren't you?" Mai hopped up next to him and carefully sat down.

"Eh? Ah…yeah…." He turned back to the lake. This was, of course, the place where she had finally left them. "I…feel regret…about all of this.

"She was…so strong…such a marvelous girl…but in the end…I feel like…what I really wanted was to help her, as her teacher. Maybe she just came here under false pretenses, maybe she didn't originally belong here, but she was an important part of this class. I feel like I didn't get to know her as well as I should have. And I feel…in the end, I couldn't do anything for her, as her teacher…."

"I don't think that's true," Mai replied. "I think she looked…happy, when she left. Maybe she got what she really wanted…."

"I guess so…it's just…."

"You didn't fall in love with her or something, did you? Did that last kiss enchant you…?"

"W-what!? O-of course not! That's…!"

Mai giggled. "In some ways, you're still such a kid, Kain- _sensei_. Come on, now. You're banged up. It's already nearly morning…we finally have a day of peace and quiet, and after all we've been through, I think even I want to sleep in bed all day…."

"Ah…yeah…." Kain glanced down at himself and frowned. "Come to think of it, I'm surprised I'm feeling as well as I am, after all I went through, fighting Sakura- _san_ for over an hour, using my True _Kanka_ all the while…." He shook his head. "Oh, well. You're right…we all need rest after all of that…."

They hopped down, and Kain, to his surprise, found himself facing Momo, Kagome, Kazumi, Hinagiku, Erika, Rei, Nodoka, Ami, Yue, Nanami, Akari, Kiami, Chisame, Alyssa, and Miyu. He smiled at them. "All of you…well, it's all finished. How was everyone's Festival?"

They exchanged glances, mostly of chagrin and sheepishness. "I'm glad it's over," Hinagiku offered. "I thought it was crazy before, but…."

"Do you need a rest?" Alyssa teased with a smile. "The usual place is open…."

"Right now, I think I'll take it," Kain smirked. "And we're all invited, as usual…?"

"Of course. It's not like I could keep some of these away…."

Mai turned to Rei. "You're finally coming with us too, right?"

Rei stared silently for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I think I will accept your offer this time."

Erika hesitated. "Eh…but…."

"Are you thinking of not coming, Erika- _chan_?" Hinagiku demanded sharply. "Don't think you can weasel out of it now. Well, you were our enemy here, but you're still our friend…and that battle is behind us. That's the _point_. Right?"

"Y-yeah…."

"Here we go!" Akari enthused. "Team Kain- _Sensei_ , off to its own victory party!"

"'Team Kain- _Sensei_?" Alyssa scoffed. "What kind of a name is that?"

"Maybe Team Lockeheart would fair better?" Kiami teased.

"You're just obsessed with making up some sort of name, aren't you…?"

"Perhaps. What do you think, Chisame- _chan_?"

"W-what? Leave me out of it…."

"Nonsense. You have to come to."

"No way! I've done my bit, I don't want anything more to do with you…."

"If you don't come, we'll just make Kain- _sensei_ summon you with your card."

"Wait, it can do that!? No one told me it could do that! That's completely unfair! I want that contract cancelled, right now…!"

"Hasegawa- _san_ is a necessity," Miyu suddenly and unexpectedly put in. "She is one of the heroes of the hour. It is thanks to her that the final plot failed…."

"Wait, weren't we just talking about how Sakura was planning to let us win in the first place…!?"

Kain laughed. "Thank you," he whispered softly. "All of you."

With friends like these, who needed enemies? That cliché thought could almost apply to the situation.

But for Kain, who had spent most of his life nearly alone, being surrounded by such warmth, even if it was a wildfire, was as comforting as could be.

Sakura's purpose was complete, he knew. She had set him on the path.

He was ready to find his father. He had to be.

He could sense that it would be soon….

8-8-8

 _Author's Note: The Festival, Concluded!_

 _A very short chapter, but I felt I wanted to end the last chapter with Sakura and then tie up the last loose ends of the Festival with this chapter, and thus end Act 6. There's still some stuff to take care of, but we'll start Act 7 with that, doling out punishments and preparing for the next big adventure. Act 7 will be a prelude to the ultimate arc, the Arcanum Myrror arc, which should be longer than all the previous arcs combined…._

 _I won't be starting it immediately, however. I'm going to take a break to construct a bunch of mini-stories and side-arcs, bonus chapters and such, introducing new (mostly background) characters and following stories from the various inspirations (Fortune Arterial, Hayate, others) that I've wanted to use but just couldn't fit into the regular story. This won't be Act 7, but rather Mahou Sensei Kain – Side Stories._

 _But now, the Festival. Well, I had a lot of fun with it. I didn't have Kain do quite as much crazy time-traveling. I also didn't involve him with as many people as I would have liked, but it was expansive enough as it is anyway, so it's fine. Ah, it was such a blast…._

 _I played fast and loose with it. I even wanted to let my masters have their mini-moments to shine, so they were included, which greatly increased the firepower I could throw against Sakura, and she was forced to put things to use. I felt kind of bad eliminating them all afterwards mostly as footnotes, but it had to happen—we couldn't just let these minor side characters dominate everything and save the day—and the combination of a robot sniper with a girl who would not have been seen as an enemy was enough to get all of them in the end._

 _I had two characters who were immune to these super-weapons I stripped directly from the original Negima—Kajirô, who possesses another overpowered_ zanpaku-tô _I designed (even though he's a human, it's a 'Soul Blade', the mage's equivalent), and Kain himself. As a note, Kajirô's sword is actually the same_ zanpaku-tô _I gave to myself for the Bleach story, and it was a fabulous counter to Aizen's power. I designed it before I even found out about Aizen's real identity as the main villain, but was exceptionally pleased when I did find out that the sword I envisioned could be so useful. I gave it to Kajirô when I designed him for the Magiverse because I liked it so much I wanted to show it off. Also, Kajirô has enough me in him—more of my darker, depressed side, but still…._

 _Anyway, there was no immunity to the attack in the original. Well, technically…Negi was able to beat it using the Cassiopeia, the time-traveling watch Chao gave him, thanks to spells that he used to manipulate the device and use its ability to change time. Chao's original ultimate power was the possession of the same trinket, operated by precise super-tech (most of Chao's capabilities came from tech, including a power suit), which is how she dominated everyone. In this case, I realized that since I had already borrowed the time-lapse bullet's ability for Kain in his battle with Alyssa, and Kain was such a master at realizing and adjusting powers and such, he would have figured out a solution for the final battle, especially since he had both his father's time-space cloak and the Chrono Trigger. No problem, it makes him distinctly more 'bad $$', which is where I wanted to go with him in the first place._

 _Said Chrono Trigger, of course, I got from the game of the same name—the time egg. I put it to use here. Does Sakura know about the game, and is that why she made the device in this fashion and gave it that name? I'll let you decide…._

 _So the battle between Sakura and Kain was super-condensed. I kind of feel bad that it was relatively short, especially since I've hinted it took over an hour, but how much could I really go on about it? Even with his True_ Kanka _, in the state he had it, he still wasn't really as powerful as a captain of Sakura's caliber (side note: she's about right in the middle of the 13 captains of the Mistworld, but stronger than most of the captains we're more familiar with in the original Bleach. Minoru is one of the ones stronger than her). Therefore, he never could get off more than one good hit on her, and so she only ever really had to use the Dreamscape against him once. It was unthinkable to me that he would injure her enough to force another one, but that was okay, because she was running out of power anyway. I've been hinting at that for a long time. So, with Kain just trying to keep up with her and Sakura reluctant to use up too much of her power, an otherwise exchange-of-spells type of battle instead turned into a simple sword fight—but that's okay, because it's probably what Kain needed at this point most of all. In any case, I can only try and describe the exchanges of swordplay so much, so it was largely fast-forwarded. Make no mistake, the animators could probably have stretched it into at least three episodes, and would probably have gone over my head and had Kain get Sakura one or two more times, forcing her to undo it…._

 _The various mecha were supposed to dog Negi and party (in my case, of course, Kain and party) after the boy awakens and returns to battle, slowly eliminating the party with their bullets until only the hero and Yue are left (with Kamo), at which point the girl gives her advice and withdraws from the battle. In this case, though, since Kain had already demonstrated an immunity to the bullet, I couldn't do that, so I took them to the hospital and had the non-combatants bow out at that point. I also wanted to show off some of the powers of Kazumi's new artifact, but I decided that it wouldn't work—she hasn't had enough time to practice it, so she has no idea what she's doing with it. She was better bowing out with Nodoka and Ami. Then, before he left, Yue gave her spiel, and Kain his counter-spiel._

 _Chisame, in the original, did her part only to find out that Negi ended up saving the day right before she finished. I decided to let her have her glory this time, since it's just…silly to me that after all they go through it ends up being pointless. I also wanted the more combat-ready Miyu to have a small combat part, so instead of having her just battling Chisame in the virtual world and having some of her mass-production models distracting our martial artist, I went ahead and had the virtual her be a copy of her AI while she got to fight the two martial artists. I do enjoy the mass production models, though…maybe a side-story sometime…._

 _I feel a little bad for using Erika as a villainess support in this work, but it's a necessary evil I was forced to bring forth. Here she's a replacement for Mana Tatsumiya, the powerful mercenary of the magic society who sided with Chao. I didn't have anyone who could be paid or otherwise convinced to help Sakura out, but she needed at least one more supporter to help battle some of the classmates at some points, like right here. Erika, with her vampire worries, ended up being the most easily manipulated. I think I'm satisfied with what I finally came up with for her. If it seems weak…well, maybe it is, but then again, Erika has some_ serious _worries about all of this. If she was at all willing to suck someone's blood, let alone someone she cares so much about, she'd just make a Servant and be done and all her worries would be gone…._

 _In any case, (ab)using Erika like this served as a great way to finally, more-or-less officially bring Rei into the proper fold, and she won't be going away anytime soon. So there's that, at least._

 _What else…? Originally, it was only bullets that caused the time-jump, and Chao went around stabbing people with them or throwing them, but that was…again, silly, to me. So in addition to the bullets in Miyu's and the other mechas' guns, I had the hand-to-hand fighters, Erika and Sakura, use special bombs that caused the same effect. It just makes more sense to me._

 _Well…I think that's all I can rant about right now. It's over and done. Thank you for reading this far, and, please, continue enjoying my work as much as I enjoy writing it! I'm so into this!_


End file.
